South Suburban received the 2024 Grand Plaque National Gold Medal Award, a premier recognition that celebrates excellence in the park and recreation industry. This is the highest recognition a parks and recreation organization can achieve and is awarded to only one agency in the country in each of the population-based award divisions.

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), announced the 2024 National Gold Medal Award Grand Plaque recipients at their annual conference held in Atlanta on Oct. 8-10.

“I am incredibly proud of our organization,” said South Suburban Executive Director Rob Hanna. “This is a huge accomplishment that formally recognizes our commitment to excellence and names us the best parks and recreation agency in the country. We have earned this honor thanks to our staff’s dedication to innovation, sustainability, and customer service, which improves the quality of life in our communities every day.”

Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Applications are comprised of six classes, with five classes based on population and one class for armed forces. 

The following agencies received the Grand Plaque award after first receiving the Finalist award:

Class I (population 400,001 & over): Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Class II (population 150,001 to 400,000): South Suburban Park and Recreation District, Littleton, Colorado

Class III (population 75,001 to 150,000): City of New Braunfels Parks and Recreation, New Braunfels, Texas

Class IV (population 30,001 to 75,000): Douglasville Parks and Recreation, Douglasville, Georgia

Class V (population under 30,000): Dickinson Parks and Recreation District, Dickinson, North Dakota

Armed Forces Category: Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, Florida

Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff members and elected officials. Each of these agencies first received the Finalist Plaque in their category. For the Grand Plaque round of judging, each Finalist had to submit a five-minute video which supports their application, and the judges reviewed progress on the agency’s strategic plan. 

A panel of five park and recreation professionals judged all application materials. Judges are chosen for their considerable experience and knowledge of parks and recreation on both the local and national levels.  

For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit nrpa.org/goldmedal or aapra.org. 

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) is a nonprofit organization founded to advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks; to encourage scholarly efforts by both practitioners and educators that would enhance the practice of park and recreation administration; to promote broader public understanding of the importance of parks and recreation to the public good; and, to conduct research, publish scholarly papers and sponsor seminars related to the advancement of park and recreation administration. For more information, visit aapra.org.  

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is the leading not-for-profit organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. NRPA advances this vision by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals as a catalyst for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information visit nrpa.org.