On Oct. 21, the DeKalb Park District will find out if it will receive the National Gold Medal Award.

The award is for “excellence in parks and recreation programs and facilities,”said Dave Emanuelson, executive director for the park district.

The Gold Medal Award nominees are classified based on population size. DeKalb falls within the 25,000 to 50,000 population group. The park district is one of four finalists in this group, which also includes the Glen Ellyn Park District in Illinois, and the Grand Junction and Englewood parks and recreation departments, both in Colorodo.

“[Being nominated] is a tremendous feather in any park district’s cap,” said Dave Mason, DeKalb Park District board president.

The Gold Medal Award is presented by the National Recreation and Park Association and the National Sporting Goods Association.

Emanuelson said qualifications for the award are based on “the overall numbers of parks, facilities and programs.”

The park district currently has 40 parks and four facilities. This is partly because of a relationship with DeKalb that requires new developers to donate land to the park district. This agreement is responsible for the increased number of parks, from 14 parks in 1983 to 40 parks today, Emanuelson said.

“We are unique in that we have a high number [of parks and facilities] for a community of our size,” he said.

The park district has two golf courses, seven miles of pathways, two community centers, an outdoor swimming pool and an indoor Sports and Recreation Center, among other things, Emanuelson said.

To obtain an application for the award, a park district must be nominated by a member of the National Sporting Goods Association. The DeKalb Park District solicited a nomination from the Golf Shack in Rockford, which Mason said is the closest member.

Once nominated, the National Recreation and Park Association sends an application that is filled out and returned with a 12 to 15 minute video about the park district.

“It would be a tribute to the efforts of the park board members, and the park staff members that served this organization for 70 years,” Emanuelson said about the possibility of winning the award. “It would be an affirmation that the DeKalb Park District is a world class organization. On the other hand, being a finalist means a lot already in both of those regards.”

Mason will be present on Oct. 21 when the winner will be announced in St. Louis, Mo., at the National Recreation and Parks Association Conference.

He said he has not thought about what he will do if the park district wins, but he said he probably will be numb from the shock.

“To be nominated by your peers, and recognized by your peers, is something very overwhelming,” he said, especially because this award is based on merit rather than popularity.