Gold Medal Award

Town of Fountain Hills Named as Finalist for Prestigious National Gold Medal Awards in Parks and Recreation Management for Second Year in a Row

Community Services Department to compete for prestigious honor in the park and recreation industry

FOUNTAIN HILLS, AZ (May 23, 2022) – For the second consecutive year, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), has recognized the Town of Fountain Hills Community Services Department as a finalist for the 2022 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management.

“Being honored two years in a row is an amazing, and well deserved accomplishment. It demonstrates the quality of leadership and staff in the department,” said Mayor Ginny Dickey. “We are fortunate to have world-class parks, trails, and services that residents and visitors enjoy. Our small, but mighty department, deserves this acknowledgement.”

Founded in 1965, the National Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the United States 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 six classes, with five classes based on population and one class for armed forces.

Fountain Hills is a finalist in the Class Five (population 30,000 or less) category. The Community Services Department oversees, and works collaboratively with many community organizations, in maintaining and providing services with Town parks, trails, Community Center, parks and recreation, community arts program, volunteers, special events, and Home Delivered Meals, and more.

“It is a collaborative team approach with our partners and staff to create programs and services, and continually improve our parks to meet the needs and desires of our residents,” said Community Services Director Rachael Goodwin.

This year’s finalists will compete for the Grand Plaque Award honors this summer, and seven Grand Plaque recipients will be announced during the 2022 NRPA Conference, which will be held in September in Phoenix, Ariz. The presentation of both the Finalist and Grand Plaque recipients is being finalized and details will be forthcoming.