For the fourth time in five years, Hillsborough County has been honored as having one of the top parks and recreation programs in the country.
Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation is one of four national finalists in the Class 1 category for the 2026 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration announced. Class 1 includes the nation’s largest parks and recreation departments, serving populations of more than 400,000.
Only one department will receive the highest award, the Grand Plaque, in October. Each finalist sends the judges a short video highlighting their department.
Achievements and highlights from Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation include:
- Effectively managing 180 parks, 223 sports fields, 118 playgrounds, 54 recreation centers, 47 athletic complexes, 11 dog parks, nine splash pads and four cultural/performing arts centers, spanning over 3,500 acres.
- Adding 40 new pickleball courts and six new splash pads and fitness zones in underserved communities.
- The Adaptive Sports program, which has grown by more than 200 percent since 2021, expanding from 26 programs serving 300 athletes to 68 programs reaching 955 athletes. The latest innovation is a dedicated Buddy Baseball field serving athletes ages 8-22.
- Collaborating with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office to revitalize seven recreation centers through a $4.5 million investment. The partnership enabled Boys & Girls Clubs programming, serving more than 122,000 youth annually. Since the partnerships started, there has been an average 48 percent reduction in surrounding neighborhood crime and $200,000 in annual operational savings per center.
- Launching the Swim Safe Initiative for children enrolled in Hillsborough County’s Head Start program. In partnership with the City of Temple Terrace, the Tampa YMCA, the City of Tampa and High 5 Inc., children ages 3-5 are taken to nearby pools to receive free swim lessons.
- Hosting 336 performances last year at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC), ranging from The Florida Orchestra to fully staged musical theater, ballet, modern dance, stand-up comedy and jazz. The facility also offers 114 classes annually, serving 1,046 participants.
- Creating an innovative concessions initiative that has generated more than $800,000 in sustainable revenue, resulting in $127,000 being distributed to youth sports programs. These funds reinvest in local youth sports and establish a long-term funding stream independent of tax dollars.
- Partnering with the American Heart Association to expand emergency preparedness across the park system, securing $125,000 to purchase nearly 100 automated external defibrillators (AEDs). These devices were strategically placed with youth sports partners, high-use parks and rural locations.
- Developing a $6 million initiative to fund and construct splash pads in underserved communities facing economic and transportation barriers. The splash pads range from 1,200-3,400 square feet and feature designs customized to each community.
- Cultivating partnerships with 182 organizations, which includes 49 youth sports organizations and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. These partnerships brought in 1.4 million participant visits in addition to the nearly 3.5 million visits from Parks & Recreation-led activities.
- Offering youth sports leagues at $25 per sport, per season, significantly lower than traditional leagues.
Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors park and recreation agencies in the United States and military installations worldwide that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and community engagement. Applicants are placed into six classes, with five based on population and one class for Armed Forces installations. The award is given by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association.