Nationally Recognized Parks and Recreation
Springfield is Named Among the Nation's Best
Willamalane is on the national stage in 2026 as a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award, which is widely considered the highest honor in the parks and recreation profession. As a two-time Gold Medal winner (1986 & 2016), Willamalane is honored to be recognized once again as one of the nation's leading park and recreation agencies.
What Makes Willamalane a Gold Medal District?
Exceptional Parks Begin with Exceptional People
Willamalane treats employee stability as a strategic priority, offering one of the region's most competitive benefits packages, leadership and career development opportunities for all levels of the organization, and a workplace culture that fosters belonging. This directly translates into better service for our community.
Some recent highlights include:
- Employer of the Year
Springfield Chamber named Willamalane the 2025 Employer of the Year. - Representative Leadership
Women now represent over half of district leadership. - Removing Hiring Barriers
A redesigned lifeguard hiring process eliminated certification barriers and restored full aquatic staffing after the pandemic. The district now offers all certifications on paid time.
Working Together
Collaboration is a core philosophy at Willamalane. Longstanding partnerships stretch public dollars, improve emergency response, and create opportunities for our community.
- Fourth-Grade Swim Lessons
Every SPS fourth grader receives free swim lessons through a partnership that dates back more than 70 years. In the last year, 90% of students advanced at least one swim level. - 1Pass
In 2025, 11,000 children accessed safe summer recreation through the 1Pass program, scanning their passes 79,940 times across 15 destinations, including pools, museums, and recreation centers. - Tiny Ducks Preschool
Lane County was facing an early childcare crisis. Willamalane secured $1 million in donations to expand Tiny Ducks Preschool, increasing capacity from 20 to 80 preschool seats. - Team Springfield Ice Storm Response
During the 2024 ice storm, Willamalane stepped up to offer district parking lots and facilities as a staging area for visiting power crews, and offered recreation facilities as a free place to get warm, charge devices, and take showers.
Protecting Parks and Rec for Future Generations
Willamalane manages public resources with future generations in mind by preserving historic landscapes, restoring habitats, and preventing wildfire.
- Restoring Historic Dorris Ranch
Using innovative funding partnerships, Willamalane completed the decade-long orchard replacement project and planted 3,500 blight-resistant filbert trees to maintain the historic orchards for generations to come. - Wildfire Prevention and Habitat Restoration
With help from regional partners and volunteers, Willamalane manages vegetation and often uses controlled fire to reduce built-up fuels and mitigate wildfire threats. - Data-Driven Management
In 2025, Willamalane completed a GIS inventory of 5,700+ trees to manage healthier parks and long-term sustainability.
About the Gold Medal
The Gold Medal Awards program is managed and governed by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association. Established in 1965, the National Gold Medal Award program recognizes communities across the United States that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program innovation, professional development, and organizational excellence. The program recognizes agencies based on the population they serve. Willamalane is competing in Class IV, serving communities of 30,001 to 75,000.