# Lexington Parks & Recreation wins national Gold Medal Award **Published:** 2026-10-05T19:40:00.000Z **Source:** [LFUCG General News](https://www.lexingtonky.gov/news/lexington-parks-recreation-awarded-prestigious-national-gold-medal-award) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/lexington-parks-recreation-wins-national-gold-medal-award LEXINGTON, Ky. — Lexington Parks & Recreation has been awarded the National Gold Medal Award, the highest honor a parks and recreation agency can receive, recognizing the city's commitment to green spaces and community programming. The award, [announced by the city this week](https://www.lexingtonky.gov/news/lexington-parks-recreation-awarded-prestigious-national-gold-medal-award), is governed by the American Academy for Parks and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association. Lexington competed in the Class II category for cities with populations between 150,001 and 400,000 and was selected as the winner at the NRPA conference in Philadelphia. Monica Conrad, director of Lexington Parks & Recreation, credited the department's staff, community partners, and volunteers for the achievement. "This doesn't happen without our amazing staff, our many community partners, and dedicated volunteers," Conrad said in a statement. "While this is a great accomplishment, there is always work to be done to meet the goals and needs identified in our Master Plan." The [Gold Medal Awards program](https://www.nrpa.org/awards-and-recognition/gold-medal-awards/), established in 1965, honors communities that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, and program development. Applications are divided into seven classes, with most based on population size, plus categories for armed forces recreation and state park systems. Four finalists in each class are selected annually to compete for the award, with winners announced at the NRPA's October conference. Mayor Linda Gorton highlighted the breadth of Lexington's recreational offerings. "With 108 parks, four community centers, 10 aquatics facilities, three arts facilities, four natural areas, five golf courses, 98 miles of trails, and countless events and programs throughout the year, there are so many amazing places and activities for people to enjoy," Gorton said. The mayor congratulated Conrad and the Parks team for their dedication and hard work. Conrad emphasized the department's continued commitment to meeting community needs. "Our team and city leadership are committed to ensuring our green spaces and recreational programs are welcoming and beautiful for all to enjoy," she said. ## Sources - [LFUCG General News](https://www.lexingtonky.gov/news/lexington-parks-recreation-awarded-prestigious-national-gold-medal-award) - [National Recreation and Park Association Gold Medal Awards](https://www.nrpa.org/awards-and-recognition/gold-medal-awards/) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from LFUCG General News. The original source is available at https://www.lexingtonky.gov/news/lexington-parks-recreation-awarded-prestigious-national-gold-medal-award.