(HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL) – The Hoffman Estates Park District (HEPD) has won the 2009 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks & Recreation Management, the highest national honor bestowed jointly by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA).
The most prestigious award of its kind, the HEPD demonstrated excellence in long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. The HEPD bested parks and recreation agencies across America with communities the population size of 50,000 to 100,000. Hoffman Estates is a close-in suburb west of Chicago.
Also contributing to the HEPD winning the award is its ability to effectively identify and address the needs of the community. Its implementation, enhancement and improvement of parks, programs and facilities through efficient financial and volunteer resource management – including the collective energies of volunteers, staff, and elected officials – impressed NRPA-AAPRA judges.
“The Gold Medal Award is testament to the cooperative spirit of the Hoffman Estates Park District’s dedicated Board of Directors, staff and community residents at large,” says Dean Bostrom, Executive Director of the HEPD. “We receive many compliments daily about our services, programs and facilities, and this demonstrates high levels of engagement and satisfaction.”
The HEPD award was announced during NRPA Annual Congress & Exposition in Salt Lake City, Utah. The NRPA network is comprised of more than 21,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens.
About the Hoffman Estates Park District
Providing first-class parks, facilities, programs and services for a dynamic community of more than 50,000 in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, the HEPD operates two community centers, a premier 18-hole golf course, state-of-the-art fitness center, twin ice arena, family aquatic center and 63 parks.
For more information, www.heparks.org, 847.885.7500.
Contact:
Rich Katz
Buffalo Communications
703.891.3319
rkatz@billycaspergolf.com
www.buffalocommunications.com
http://twitter.com/buffalocomm
