Port St. Lucie - Saturday September 2, 2023: Port St. Lucie Parks & Recreation Department was honored with two awards at the annual Florida Recreation and Park Association Annual Conference, during their Awards and Installation Banquet on August 30. This is the fifth year in a row that the PSL Parks & Recreation has been recognized by the Florida Recreation and Park Association FRPA in their annual Awards Program.
The 2023 FRPA Agency Excellence in Health Award recognizes and honors the state’s most outstanding community agency for excellence in Parks and Recreation. The Port St. Lucie Parks and Recreation Department worked across multiple program initiatives over the past five years, including Rock Steady Boxing; Opioid Epidemic Trainings and Public Forum; Healthy U: A Series of Conversations; Community Input Survey; Food Pop-Up Events, partnering with the American Heart Association on Blood Pressure awareness through a Breakfast Club; International Overdose Awareness Day; May is Mental Health Awareness Month; and Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) accreditation.
“To be recognized by our peers across the state of Florida is such an honor,” stated Director Sherman Conrad, Port St. Lucie Parks & Recreation Department. “We want to thank our residents for their ongoing support and patronage, acknowledge the outstanding leadership of our City Council and City Manager’s Office, and recognize the hard work and exceptional accomplishments of our park and recreation staff.”
The Golden Shovel Parks Professional Award was bestowed upon Kelly Boatwright, CPRP, Park Administrator-Projects, for her continuous dedication to the City of Port St. Lucie while demonstrating outstanding service to the field of parks and recreation. Kelly completed phase one of Winterlakes Park and will soon complete phase two of that project, to include pavilions on the lake and maintenance building. She also led the team in the design of the Wilderness Trails project and is actively administering the Recreational Trails Program grant. She is also spearheading a trifecta of new park projects including, The Port District, Torino Regional Park and Tradition Regional Park.
“What an honor and privilege our department is to have Ms. Kelly Boatwright on our CAPRA- accredited team of park and recreation professionals,” stated the City of Port St. Lucie Parks & Recreation Director, Sherman Conrad. “Ms. Boatwright is the consummate park and recreation professional who leads with strength, grace, passion and expertise throughout our profession.”
Concurrently, two of Port St. Lucie Parks & Recreation Department executive leadership, Kelly Boatwright, CPRP, Park Administrator-Projects and Pattie Roberts, CPRP, Deputy Director, have graduated from FRPA’s 2023 elite Abrahams Jones Academy for Leadership Excellence. They were part of a group of students representing more than 27 different park and recreation agencies from cities and counties across the state. The Academy provides an opportunity for participants to explore and develop their leadership capacity, create personal leadership advancement plans, and encourages personal introspection, group activity and individual assessment.
The Florida Recreation and Park Association State Awards Program is designed to recognize and celebrate the individuals and organizations that contribute to the success and value of parks and recreation in the state of Florida. Winners were presented with a plaque and recognition through the FRPA Journal. More information on the Awards Program can be found at www.frpa.org/awards.
Port St. Lucie Parks & Recreation Department manages over 48 developed parks, 1 golf course, 2 fitness centers, and 4 dog parks, all offering endless opportunities to relax, play, exercise, learn, or enjoy the Florida sunshine.
To learn more about the City of Port St. Lucie Parks & Recreation Department, visit: www.pslparks.com.