2020 - 2023 National Gold Medal Recipients

2023 Gold Medal Grand Plaque Award Recipients

Class I (population 400,001 and over)
Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation, Virginia Beach, VA

Class II (population 150,001 –400,000)
City of Plano Parks & Recreation Department, Plano, TX

Class III (population 75,001–150,000)
Champaign Park District, Champaign, IL

Class IV (population 30,001 –75,000)
Hoffman Estates Park District, Hoffman Estates, IL

Class V (population less than 30,000)
Cullman Parks, Recreation, and Sports Tourism, Cullman, AL

Armed Forces Recreation
Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan

State Parks 
Texas State Parks, Austin, TX

2023 Gold Medal Award Finalists

Class I (population 400,001 and over)

  • Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation, Lawrenceville, GA
  • Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation, Tampa, FL
  • The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Greenbelt, MD
  • Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation, Virginia Beach, VA

Class II (population 150,001 –400,000)

  • City of Henderson Parks and Recreation, Henderson, NV
  • City of Plano Parks & Recreation Department, Plano, TX
  • Roseville Parks, Recreation & Libraries Department, Roseville, CA
  • South Suburban Park and Recreation District, Littleton, CO

Class III (population 75,001–150,000)

  • Champaign Park District, Champaign, IL
  • City of New Braunfels Parks and Recreation, New Braunfels, TX
  • Plainfield Park District, Plainfield, IL
  • Waukegan Park District, Waukegan, IL

Class IV (population 30,001 –75,000)

  • Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services, Bristol, CT
  • Douglasville Parks and Recreation, Douglasville, GA
  • Hoffman Estates Park District, Hoffman Estates, IL
  • Park District of Oak Park, Oak Park, IL

Class V (population less than 30,000)

  • City of Macedonia Parks & Recreation, Macedonia, OH
  • Cullman Parks, Recreation, and Sports Tourism, Cullman, AL
  • Oak Brook Park District, Oak Brook, IL
  • Sycamore Park District, Sycamore, IL

Armed Forces Recreation

  • Dover Air Force Base, Dover AFB, DE
  • Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation, USAG, Fort Knox, KY
  • Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan
  • Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, FL

State Parks 

  • Missouri State Parks, Jefferson City, MO
  • Ohio State Parks and Watercraft, Columbus, OH
  • Texas State Parks, Austin, TX
  • Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails, Cheyenne, WY

2022 Gold Medal Grand Plaque Award Recipients

Class I (population 400,001 and over)
Recreation & Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC), Baton Rouge, LA

Class II (population 150,001 to 400,000)
City of Des Moines Parks and Recreation, Des Moines, IA

Class III (population 75,001 to 150,000)
South Bend Venues Parks & Arts, South Bend, IA

Class IV (population 30,001 to 75,000)
Waukesha Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department, Waukesha, WI

Class V (population less than 30,000)
Town of Fountain Hills Community Services, Fountain Hills, AZ

Armed Forces Recreation
Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Kings Bay, GA

2022 Gold Medal Award Finalists

Class I (population 400,001 and over)

  • Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation, Tampa, FL
  • Johnson County Park & Recreation District, Shawnee Mission, KS
  • Recreation & Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC), Baton Rouge, LA
  • Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation, Virginia Beach, VA

Class II (population 150,001 to 400,000)

  • City of Des Moines Parks and Recreation, Des Moines, IA
  • City of Henderson Parks and Recreation, Henderson, NV
  • City of Plano Parks & Recreation Department, Plano, TX
  • Wichita Park & Recreation, Wichita, KS

Class III (population 75,001 to 150,000)

  • Champaign Park District, Champaign, IL
  • Roseville Parks, Recreation & Libraries Department, Roseville, CA
  • South Bend Venues Parks & Arts, South Bend, IN
  • Waukegan Park District, Waukegan, IL

Class IV (population 30,001 to 75,000)

  • Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services, Bristol, CT
  • Hoffman Estates Park District, Hoffman Estates, IL
  • Park District of Oak Park, Oak Park, IL
  • Waukesha Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department, Waukesha, WI

Class V (population less than 30,000)

  • Deerfield Park District, Deerfield, IL
  • Dickinson Parks and Recreation District, Dickinson, ND
  • East Goshen Township Parks and Recreation, East Goshen, PA
  • Town of Fountain Hills Community Services, Fountain Hills, AZ

Armed Forces Recreation

  • Naval Air Station Whiting Field, FL
  • Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, GA
  • U.S. Army Fort Drum, NY
  • U.S. Army Garrison Fort Campbell, KY 

2021 Gold Medal Grand Plaque Award Recipients

Class I (population 400,001 and over)
Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland, Ohio

Class II (population 150,001 to 400,000)
City of Tampa Parks & Recreation Department, Tampa, Florida

Class III (population 75,001 to 150,000)
Provo Parks and Recreation, Provo, Utah

Class IV (population 30,001 to 75,000)
Coppell Parks & Recreation, Coppell, Texas

Class V (population less than 30,000)   
Vernon Hills Park District, Vernon Hills, Illinois

Armed Forces Recreation
Naval Base Coronado, San Diego, California

State Parks
Delaware State Parks, Delaware

2021 Gold Medal Award Finalists

Class I (population 400,001 and over)

  • Chicago Park District, Chicago, Illinois
  • Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland, Ohio
  • Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Virginia Beach Parks & Recreation, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Class II (population 150,001 to 400,000)

  • Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation, Chester, Virginia
  • Des Moines Parks and Recreation, Des Moines, Iowa
  • City of Tampa Parks & Recreation Department, Tampa, Florida
  • City of Wichita Park & Recreation, Wichita, Kansas

Class III (population 75,001 to 150,000)

  • City of New Braunfels Parks and Recreation Department, New Braunfels, Texas
  • Provo Parks & Recreation, Provo, Utah
  • South Bend Venues Parks & Arts, South Bend, Indiana
  • Waukegan Park District, Waukegan, Illinois

Class IV (population 30,001 to 75,000)

  • Centerville-Washington Park District, Centerville, Ohio
  • Coppell Parks & Recreation, Coppell, Texas
  • Grapevine Parks and Recreation, Grapevine, Texas
  • Park District of Oak Park, Oak Park, Illinois

Class V (population less than 30,000)    

  • East Goshen Township Parks and Recreation, West Chester, Pennsylvania
  • Deerfield Park District, Deerfield, Illinois
  • Town of Fountain Hills Community Services, Fountain Hills, Arizona
  • Vernon Hills Park District, Vernon Hills, Illinois

Armed Forces Recreation

  • Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Kings Bay, Georgia
  • Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Milton, Florida
  • Naval Base Coronado, San Diego, California
  • U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, Grafenwoehr, Germany

State Parks

  • Delaware State Parks, Delaware
  • Ohio Division of State Parks & Watercraft, Ohio
  • Tennessee State Parks, Tennessee
  • Texas State Parks, Texas

2020 Gold Medal Grand Plaque Award Recipients

Class I (population 400,001 and over)
Metroparks Toledo, Toledo, Ohio

Class II (population 150,001 to 400,000)
Greensboro Parks and Recreation, Greensboro, North Carolina

Class III (population 75,001 to 150,000)
Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation, Carmel, Indiana

Class IV (population 30,001 to 75,000)
Decatur Park District, Decatur, Illinois

Class V (population less than 30,000)   
Green River Parks and Recreation, Green River, Wyoming

Armed Forces Recreation
U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley, Fort Riley, Kansas

2020 Gold Medal Award Finalists

Class I (population 400,001 and over)

  • Dallas Park and Recreation, Dallas, Texas
  • East Baton Rouge Recreation & Park Commission, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Metroparks Toledo, Toledo, Ohio
  • Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, Mesa, Arizona

Class II (population 150,001 to 400,000)

  • Greensboro Parks and Recreation, Greensboro, North Carolina
  • City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department, Tampa, Florida
  • City of Henderson Parks and Recreation, Henderson, Nevada
  • Des Moines Parks and Recreation Department, Des Moines, Iowa

Class III (population 75,001 to 150,000)

  • Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation, Carmel, Indiana
  • City of New Braunfels Parks and Recreation Department, New Braunfels, Texas
  • Thornton Parks, Recreation & Community Programs, Thornton, Colorado
  • Arlington Heights Park District, Arlington Heights, Illinois

Class IV (population 30,001 to 75,000)

  • Decatur Park District, Decatur, Illinois
  • Coppell Parks and Recreation, Coppell, Texas
  • Centerville-Washington Park District, Centerville, Ohio
  • Evanston Parks, Recreation and Community Services, Evanston, Illinois

Class V (population less than 30,000)    

  • Green River Parks and Recreation, Green River, Wyoming
  • East Goshen Township Parks and Recreation, West Chester, Pennsylvania
  • Vernon Hills Park District, Vernon Hills, Illinois
  • Valley City Parks and Recreation, Valley City, North Dakota

Armed Forces Recreation

  • U.S. Army Garrison Fort Riley, Fort Riley, Kansas
  • U.S. Army Garrison RP Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany
  • U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, Grafenwoehr, Germany
  • U.S. Army Garrison Fort Knox, Fort Knox, Kentucky