Allen City Council will host a community reception on Tuesday, Oct. 25 beginning at 5:30 p.m. to honor the Parks and Recreation Department. The community is invited out to celebrate the prestigious achievement of winning the 2016 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management.
A special program will begin at 6:15 p.m.
The award is given through the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), and 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.
This is the fourth consecutive year the department has received the finalist designation, and the first year to win the top award.