Washington State Parks named finalist for 2019 National Gold Medal Awards in Parks and Recreation

OLYMPIA, WA – May 23, 2019 – The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce that the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is a finalist for the 2019 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Musco Lighting, LLC has been a proud sponsor of the Gold Medal Awards program for more than 10 years.

Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the U.S. 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 separated into seven classes, with five classes based on population, one class for armed forces recreation and one class for state park systems awarded on odd-numbered years.

Washington State Parks is a finalist in the state parks category. Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of community members, staff and elected officials. Washington State Parks joins three other finalists in their class and will compete for grand honors this year.  The three other finalists are Florida, Maryland and Tennessee state park systems.

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

“We are very honored and excited to be named a finalist in 2019,” said Don Hoch, director of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.  “All Washingtonians should take pride in this honor, because the success of state parks in Washington really lies in the broad partnership between our incredibly hard-working staff, volunteers and friends, our dedicated board of commissioners, our Governor and legislature – and finally, the people of Washington who use and enjoy our parks, trails  and programs.”  

The Washington State Parks mission is to provide healthy recreational opportunities, resource stewardship and historic preservation, while connecting people to the state’s rich natural, historic and cultural assets. The Washington state park system is one of the largest and most diverse in the country, with 124 parks in nine distinct eco-regions.    

In the past several years, the agency has enhanced its work with friends’ groups and non-profit and corporate partners to create new opportunities and services for the public.  The agency values its partnerships with Washington tribes and recently received state funding to continue work with the Nisqually Tribe to develop the next new full-service state park, where the tribe will tell its story. The Commission also recently joined the Rails to Trails Conservancy in celebrating the addition of the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail to the Great American Rail Trail connecting Washington D.C. to Washington State.

This year’s finalists will compete for Grand Plaque Award honors this summer. The Grand Plaque recipients will be announced live during the NRPA General Session at the 2019 NRPA Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland Sept. 24-26, 2019.

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

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The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission manages 124 state parks as well as 13 interpretive centers, 770 historic structures, a variety of heritage sites and 500 miles of long-distance trail. Statewide programs include Boating Safety and Winter Recreation programs. The park system receives 37 million visits annually, generating a total economic contribution of more than $1.4 billion a year. Washington State Parks was a finalist in the NRPA Gold Medal Awards program in 2017.

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration is a non-profit 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 www.aapra.org. 

The National Recreation and Park Association The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.

Musco Lighting, LLC is a company that has specialized in lighting systems for sports and large areas for more than 30 years. Musco has pioneered dramatic improvements in energy efficiency and affordable ways to control wasted spill light and glare. Permanent and temporary lighting services range from neighborhood fields to NASCAR super speedways. For more information, visit www.musco.com.

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