Spare us a moment to boast ... just this once

There are a lot of things that THPRD does well. Touting our accomplishments isn’t always one of them.

We tend to be more interested in going about our business than talking about it, because we’d rather tell you about things we think you’ll be more interested in -- programs, community events and amenities that help make Beaverton such a great place to live, work and play.

This year, though, we’ll take a brief moment to reflect on the district’s recent progress and puff out our chest a little.

As we announced earlier this month, THPRD is one of four Class II finalists for the National Gold Medal Award, an honor bestowed on only six park and recreation agencies each year by the National Recreation & Park Association (NRPA) and the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA).

Our application required us to provide quantitative data about our community assets and to answer nine essay questions that demonstrate recent progress, our employee culture, and our commitment to serving this active, diverse and engaged community. You can read those responses here.

Each finalist was required to submit a video that showcases those attributes that make their district unique and outstanding. Check ours out above.

National Gold Medal winners will be announced at the NRPA’s annual conference in October. Whether or not we win, we’ve already benefited from a successful collaborative process that has affirmed how many great programs, partnerships and people we have in place.

The process has inspired us to continue to innovate and to improve our community with programs that support Health & Wellness, Conservation, and Social Equity, the NRPA’s three pillars of community impact.

Wish us luck!