The Decatur Park District is the focal point for parks, recreation, and aviation activity in the greater Decatur area. The District operates 2,000 acres of park land, an indoor sports center, regional airport, two golf courses, softball, soccer and tennis complexes, athletic fields, a community aquatics center, an AZA-accredited zoo, arts & recreation center, senior center, aquatics facility, and Overlook Adventure Park. The Decatur Park District strives to enrich the lives of all in our community and continues to earn honors for its partnerships and service excellence.
The Decatur Park District has received both regional and national recognition. In 2000,we received the Great Lakes Region Partnership Award. In 2000 and 2016, we earned distinction as a National Recreation & Parks Association Gold Medal Finalist. In 2020, we earned the Class IV NRPA National Gold Medal Award! We have been recognized as an IAPD/IPRA Distinguished Accredited Agency since 1999, achieving re-accreditation in 2018.
In October 2020, the Decatur Park District received the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and the American Academy of Parks and Recreation Administration (AAPRA). The award was presented during the 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience.
This award could not have been possible without the hard work and dedication from the Decatur Park Board of Commissioners, District staff, volunteers, donors and community collaborators over the last 96 years.
In presenting the Grand Plaques, AAPRA President Dianne Hoover shared, “The National Gold Medal Awards, both the Finalist and the Grand Plaques, are especially significant this year as agencies were adapting to a new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Agencies were experiencing unprecedented increase in park usage at the same time they were adapting to new recreation program delivery challenges. Each agency is to be commended and congratulated.”
Founded in 1965, the National Gold Medal Awards program honors communities throughout 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. 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.
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.
To learn more about the Gold Medal Awards, visit aapra.org or nrpa.org/awards.