Willamalane Recognized as a Finalist for National Gold Medal Award
Willamalane Park and Recreation District has been named as a finalist for the 2026 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. The honor, announced by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association, once again places Springfield among the nation’s leading park and recreation systems.
Michael Wargo, Willamalane Executive Director, said, "Being named one of four finalists for the National Gold Medal is an honor and a meaningful validation of the work our award-winning staff does every day. But our true measure of success is the consistent commitment our team brings to serving the Springfield community, day in and day out."
This marks the first time Willamalane has been named a finalist since winning the Gold Medal in 2016. Willamalane also received the Gold Medal in 1986 and has been a finalist for the award eight other times, starting in 1970, highlighting the district’s long-term commitment to excellence. Willamalane won the National Gold Medal Grand Plaque in 2016 and 1986, highlighting its long-term commitment to excellence.
The Gold Medal Awards program is managed and governed by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association. Established in 1965, the National Gold Medal Award program recognizes communities across the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program innovation, professional development, and organizational excellence.
The program recognizes agencies based on the population they serve. Willamalane is competing in Class IV, serving communities of 30,001 to 75,000. The other finalists in Class IV include the City of Rockville Department of Recreation and Parks (Rockville, Md.), Glenview Park District (Glenview, Ill.) and Kettering Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department (Kettering, Ohio).
Willamalane now advances to compete for the National Gold Medal Award Grand Plaque honor, which will be announced September 30, 2026, at the NRPA Annual Conference.
For information on the National Gold Medal Awards, visit AAPRA or NRPA.
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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 advocates, practitioners, and educators that 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 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. With more than 68,000 members, NRPA advances this mission by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals and supporters — the catalysts for positive change in service of parks for all, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information, visit nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit parksandrecreation.org.
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