The City of Bristol Parks, Recreation, Youth and Community Services (BPRYCS) Department has been named a National Gold Medal Award Finalist by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AARPA) for the second consecutive year. 

“Our team feels incredibly privileged to see the impact of our work right here in Bristol each and every day, but to have our hard work recognized on a national stage is truly humbling, said BPRYCS Superintendent Dr. Josh Medeiros in a press release announcing the accomplishment. “This is a tremendous recognition as there has not been a finalist from the State of Connecticut in nearly 50 years.” 

Bristol is one of four national finalists nominated in Class IV: towns/cities with a population between 30,001 and 75,000. Mum City is nominated alongside Douglasville Parks and Recreation in Georgia, Hoffman Estates Park District in Illinois and Park District of Oak Park, Oak Park of Illinois. 

The national award program is the nation’s highest honor for excellence in parks and recreation management. 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. Four finalists in each class are chosen to compete for grand honors each year.

“The Academy congratulates the 20 local park and recreation agencies, the four Armed Forces installations, and the four state park systems on receiving the Finalist award,” said AAPRA executive eirector Jane H. Adams in the same release.

The National Gold Medal Award honors public park and recreation agencies and state park systems throughout the United States and Armed Forces recreation programs worldwide that demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management and innovative approaches to delivering superb park and recreation services with fiscally sound business practices. 

A panel of five park and recreation professionals will review and judge all application materials. Winners will be announced at the 2023 NRPA Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas.

BPRYCS created a 5-minute video highlighting the department’s core services and values. A The video is available at www.bristolrec.com and on the BPRYCS Facebook page. 

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