Oak Brook, IL – The Oak Brook Park District has earned national recognition for its leadership in parks and recreation, receiving the 2025 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. The award was presented by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) during the NRPA Annual Conference held in Orlando, Florida on September 17, 2025. The Oak Brook Park District has been a finalist for this award since 2023 and won in 2015.
Founded in 1965, the 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 comprised of six classes, with five classes based on population and one class for armed forces.
The Oak Brook Park District received the Grand Plaque in the Class V category, which includes communities with populations under 30,000. The district was selected as one of four national finalists and ultimately awarded the top honor for its exceptional service, innovative programs, and strong community engagement.
“Earning this national recognition reflects the deep commitment our entire team has to creating exceptional experiences for our community,” said Park District Board President Sharon Knitter. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see the hard work of our staff and the support of our residents acknowledged on such a prestigious stage.”
For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit www.nrpa.org/goldmedal or www.aapra.org.
The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) is a nonprofit organization founded to advance knowledge related to the administration of recreation and parks; to encourage scholarly efforts by both practitioners and educators that would 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 more information, visit www.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. NRPA advances this vision by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals as a catalyst for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being. For more information visit www.nrpa.org.
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