The Westerville Parks and Recreation Department strives for excellence; working diligently to shine not only locally, but on the national level as well.

The Department is a five-time recipient of the National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, the first in 1974 and consecutively in 2001, 2007, 2013 and 2019. The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) grant this prestigious award annually and winning departments can apply every six years.

Westerville Parks and Recreation has also been nationally accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) since 2005. Accreditation is based on an agency’s compliance with the 151 rigorous standards and runs on five-year cycle.