The Johnson County Park and Recreation District is one of four finalists for the 2025 National Gold Medal Award, which is the industry’s equivalent to the Super Bowl.
This is the ninth time in JCPRD’s history that the district has been a finalist for this National Recreation and Park Association honor, with grand plaque wins in 1995 and 2017. It’s also the third time JCPRD has been a finalist in the past four years, including just last year.
Johnson County finals with three other parks and recreation districts and departments in its division of Class I, which serves communities of more than 400,000 people. The other finalists in this division are:
- City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department in Texas
- Loudoun County Parks, Recreation, and Community Services in Leesburg, Virginia
- The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in Greenbelt, Maryland
Jeff Stewart, the executive director of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District, told the Post in a Friday interview that he was “quite thrilled” to learn about the department being in the top four this year.
“It’s such a prestigious recognition in our industry,” Stewart said. “It’s our Super Bowl, our World Series, our World Cup trophy, so to speak. So to be recognized as a finalist is just thrilling.”
Now, Johnson County parks and recreation waits until the National Recreation and Park Association’s 2025 conference in September to find out whether it’s going to win a third grand plaque.
“It takes every single person”
- Stewart said he believes that JCPRD stands out nationally because staff aims for excellence in each service provided by the district.
- JCPRD is the largest child care provider in the state, he said. The district provides before- and after- school care, day camps, full-day and half-day preschool centers, nature-based preschooling and pre-kindergarten enrichment.
- The district also maintains the Johnson County Museum, 10,400 acres of parks and green space and more than 150 miles of trails.
- Stewart said being named a 2025 finalist is a testament to the community, staff, volunteers, county leaders and others who are part of the “fabric” that is JCPRD.
- “It takes every single person, every hand, to provide these opportunities and to do it at a level of excellence,” Stewart said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun to celebrate with everyone over the next several months and beyond.”
JCPRD self-nominated for the award
- The National Recreation and Parks Association’s grand plaque award starts with a thorough nomination process, Stewart said.
- The district answered about a dozen questions on the application form, providing background information on its services, which Stewart said can be challenging to fill out due to JCPRD’s wide range of offerings.
- Completed applications are then reviewed by only five judges who whittle down all of those applications to just four finalists.
- In Class I, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board won in 2024.
JCPRD will find out results in September
- JCPRD is a 2025 finalist, and the winner will be announced during an NRPA conference in September.
- None of the four finalists will know who the winner is until the conference, during which all of the finalists will be recognized, Stewart said.
- “Between now and then, we’re going to celebrate the great recognition that being a finalist is,” Stewart said, adding that JCPRD is also looking forward to enjoying the moment at the conference itself.
Keep reading awards and honors news: ‘I want to give back’ — Jon Stewart, Johnson Countian of the Year, credits JCCC for his success
