|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Sterling Council has announced that Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department is a recipient of the Governor’s Sterling Award for 2023, the highest recognition an organization in Florida, public or private, can receive for performance excellence.
The Parks Department now is a two-time recipient of the Governor’s Sterling Award, having previously won in 2009. Parks director Maria Nardi and her team attended the 31st annual Governor’s Sterling Award Banquet on Friday, June 2 in Orlando where Miami-Dade County Parks was presented as a Sterling Role Model Organization.
“I am so proud of the work that Miami-Dade County Parks does every day and for this incredible well-deserved recognition,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
“In Miami-Dade we’re committed to delivering excellence on behalf of our residents, and that includes running a stellar parks system.
“Parks are at the heart of building a healthier community and environment for everyone, and they are treasured spaces for the community to come together, participate in recreational activities, enjoy our beautiful natural environment or simply appreciate the power of nature,” the mayor added.
Miami-Dade County Parks is the third largest nationally accredited park system in the nation. Its 2,700 employees steward 40,000-plus acres of parks and natural areas, comprised of active, passive parklands and nature preserves. It provides essential areawide and local services to the county’s nearly three million residents and 24 million visitors annually. These services include 17 miles of beaches, six nature centers, six marinas, five golf courses, three campgrounds, seven heritage parks, 60 recreation centers, hundreds of playgrounds, ballfields, courts, botanical gardens, and a world class zoo.
Miami-Dade Parks has been accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) since 1995 and was the first large parks and recreation department in the country to achieve this distinction. Its dedicated team of professionals work in partnership with over 100 community-based organizations and other business partners, including environmental and health organizations, the county’s major professional sports franchises and universities, to deliver park and recreation services across a large and diverse customer base, including children and youth, active older adults, and people with disabilities.
“We are extremely proud to be recognized as a national role model organization by the leaders of performance excellence in the State of Florida with the Governor’s Sterling Award,” parks director Nardi said. “This amazing achievement belongs to the team of Miami-Dade Parks employees, for their tireless efforts and dedication to the mission and purpose of this organization — to provide for the health, happiness and prosperity for all, through parks, recreation and open spaces.”
The department’s capital, recreation and conservation programs serve as national benchmarks. The Miami-Dade County Parks and Open Space Masterplan is recognized as a national model for its community-based vision to transform Miami-Dade County into a more environmentally, socially, and economically resilient community through a connected system of parks, public spaces, natural and cultural areas, connected by greenways, blueways, and complete streets, designed as linear parks.
Its Fit2Lead Parks Internship program for at-risk youth decreased crime by 30 percent in zip codes where it was implemented. The Department’s conservation education program increases the environmental and climate change knowledge of over 50,000 residents annually, including 7,000 grade K-12 students who receive this education through Park’s EECO programs.
Miami-Dade Parks also contributes to lowering the heat index by increasing tree canopy, with 14,000 trees planted and 2,000 trees given away to county residents in 2022 alone.
The Department maintains a 92 percent level of customer satisfaction that exceeds national benchmarks across all facilities and programs. Miami-Dade Parks employees are dedicated to connecting people and parks for life.
ABOUT US:
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami’s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami’s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area. Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami’s culture. Whether you’re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts about the community, Miami’s Community Newspapers has you covered.
