RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Cordova Recreation & Park District (CRPD) received two large district Awards of Distinction at the California Association of Recreation and Park Districts’ (CARPD) Annual Awards of Distinction Banquet on May 24, 2019. In addition, two of CRPD’s Board of Directors members were sworn in to hold positions within the association.

CRPD’s Mather Sports Center received the nod for Outstanding Renovated Facility for the newly-refinished, Sacramento Kings-branded gymnasium. A project made possible by multiple partnerships, CRPD identified an opportunity for Mather Sports Center that would increase the facility’s sustainability and aesthetic. The upgrades, which included a refinished gymnasium floor, new lighting, new bleachers and new basketball hoops, benefitted not only CRPD’s youth sports programming (i.e. adding the Youth Jr. Kings Basketball League) but also enticed local sports clubs to rent the facility, increased open gym attendance, improved energy usage and enhanced the safety of all visitors.

Throughout the project, CRPD worked closely with the County of Sacramento, the Good Tidings Foundation, the Sacramento Kings Community Impact team, Kaiser Permanente and SMUD to uplift this accessible, sustainable and safe community athletic space.

Furthermore, Lincoln Village Community Park’s Fitness Course was the recipient of the Outstanding New Facility award from CARPD. This course demonstrates a 21^st century ethic of resource allocation, providing a myriad of opportunities that serve the needs of a diverse and growing community. CRPD’s Park Planning & Development team demonstrated outstanding design and cost efficiency in this project, essential criteria for the award.

Since the fitness course opened in early 2018, it has been praised by community members and professional associations alike. Resident Google postings on the park give it a score of 4 out of 5 stars and members of the Neil Orchard Senior Activities Center claim it’s their favorite way to exercise outside of the instructed programs CRPD offers.

Some of those who praise these projects include CARPD’s Board of Directors. As individuals who represent faithful and honorable service to the park and recreation field, CRPD’s Board Secretary, Rick Sloan, who served as President-Elect for CARPD’s Board during the 2018-2019 year, was sworn in as President of the Board for 2019-2020, while Vice-chair for CRPD’s Board, Brian Danzl, was elected to the CARPD Board of Directors.

Both Sloan and Danzl were honored and delighted to receive these nominations and look forward to further serving the recreation and parks industry.

The California Association of Recreation and Park Districts (CARPD) is a 501(c)(6), nonprofit whose goals include providing support and education to recreation and park districts throughout the state of California. This association uses its annual banquet to recognize excellence in the field and acknowledges achievements of leaders in the industry.