To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: Jeff Brauer, Director of Parks and Recreation
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Update: Castle Rock Parks and Recreation Received the National Gold Medal Award
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Executive Summary
Whether it’s exploring a new trail, burning calories at the Recreation Center or attending an event at Festival Park, the Town’s parks and recreation amenities are top-notch. While this is something residents have known for a while, the nation is now taking notice. In September, the Castle Rock Parks and Recreation Department accepted the National Recreation and Parks Association’s 2018 Gold Medal Award.
The Gold Medal Award honors communities throughout the United States that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management and innovative approaches to delivering superb parks and recreation services.
The Town’s Parks and Recreation Department earlier this year submitted a comprehensive review and assessment of its funding, staffing, resources, programs and accomplishments in pursuit of the award. After being named as a finalist in the Class IV category (communities which service populations of 30,001-75,000), the department submitted a 5-minute video and other application materials to be reviewed by a panel of five parks and recreation professionals.
Receiving the Gold Medal Award is a true testament to the successful collaboration between active residents and community leaders. We celebrate this recognition with the community and are honored to provide world-class facilities and programming that enhance the quality of life in Castle Rock. This shared vision drives the department to be the best in the profession, the orchestrator of fun and the heart of our community.
The department has been a finalist for the Gold Medal Award three times, and was also the national award winner in 2012. View the department’s application, the 5-minute submittal video and other award materials at CRgov.com/ParksandRec.
The 2018 Gold Medal Award was presented by the American Academy for Parks and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association.