Departmental Awards

2021

• “The Big Escape – Search for Cece the Dinosaur” received the TRAPS State Lone Star Program of the Year AND the State Promotion and Marketing Excellence Award. The Big Escape showed residents new parks, trails and historic locations around the city, educated citizens on city services (e.g., microchipping your pets) through fun, supplemental videos and supported local businesses in a difficult economic time. The month-long event, themed around Cece the Coelophysis, drew the attention of the entire Allen community, gave families a reason to get outside together after being cooped up for months, inspired children to learn more about dinosaurs and created unforgettable memories for hundreds of children and families as well as parks and recreation staff.
• Also during the TRAPS State awards, Allen Parks Foundation was recognized as the recipient of the 2021 Organizational/Volunteer Service Award. The Foundation accomplishes their goals through several programs, including a thriving Park Ambassadors program, a free of charge Tool Trailer for community members to improve green spaces, an updated Trail Marker way finding project, support during award‐winning special events and energetic volunteerism. A majority of the Allen Parks Foundation members are “all in” and have devoted a lifetime to serving on the board, making their impact in our community a long-lasting one.
• The TRAPS North Region recognized George Chrisman as Advocate of the Year for making significant contributions to Allen Parks and Recreation. George has helped fund our major projects for the last 17 years from serving in several areas across Allen.
• The Collin County Historical Commission awarded Allen Parks and Recreation a Leadership in Preservation Award for efforts in identifying and securing a restored 1910 locomotive engine. Now on site at the Allen Train Depot and Heritage Center, this “#20 Steam Locomotive” gives residents an impactful view into Allen’s rich heritage on the tracks.  

2020

• The TRAPS North Region awarded the City of Allen Swim Team Head Coach Tia McVey with the Part-Time Employee of the Year award for jolting the program awake, both in spirit and in revenue.  
• In response to spring 2020 facility closures due to the coronavirus pandemic, the aquatics staff at Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium created seven Water Safety Videos in an “out of the box” way to help educate residents on life-saving trainings before summer water activities in 2020. The video series was recognized by the North Texas Aquatic Association as their Special Event of the Year.
• The TRAPS North Region awarded Allen Parks and Recreation with the Excellence in Programming for Allen Senior Recreation Center’s Garden Group. The garden group meets every month, crossing language barriers, abilities and cultures to provide this growing hobby to center members. The community and group has expanded quickly as a special and dear option for those members who are not able to keep their own garden at home. 

2019

• To address low attendance concerns from the previous season, Allen’s recently renovated Ford Pool developed a Loyalty Card Program, which rewarded guests for attending 18 new special events that were offered weekly throughout the summer of 2018. This program was awarded the Lone Star Programming Achievement award on the state level of TRAPS. 
• The department won several IFEA awards for Market Street Allen USA Celebration, including Best Festival/Event, Best Single Digital/Social Ad, and Best Digital/Social Ad Series.

2018

• The Southwest Park and Recreation Training Institute named the Allen Historic Water Station the winner of the 2018 TOMA Award for Creative Projects.
• Celebration Park was named a winner of the Fields of Excellence award by Pioneer Athletics, recognizing the hard work from Allen Parks and Recreation's maintenance staff for keeping the park's athletic fields in excellent condition year-round.
• Allen Parks and Recreation's athletic program supervisor, Joey Ramos, was honored with the Recreation Professional of the Year Award from the TRAPS North Region.

2017

• The Allen Parks and Recreation Department’s recreation services manager, Travis Cunniff, was honored with the 2017 Jerry D. Garrett Memorial Young Professional Award by TRAPS State. The Young Professional Award annually recognizes one outstanding professional in the entire state in the field of Parks and Recreation who is committed to advancing the industry through leadership, work accomplishments and volunteerism.
• The Southwest Park and Recreation Training Institute gave the 2017 TOMA Award for Creative Projects to Allen Parks and Recreation for Cottonwood Creek Trail Extension.
• IFEA gave Allen Parks and Recreation the Best New Promotion Activity award (Gold) for the "Are You as Tough as a Cowboy?" Combine Challenge at 2017 Market Street Allen USA Celebration.
• The TRAPS North Region awarded the Center Supervisor for Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium and Ford Pool, Jonathan McCloskey, with the Horizons Award for being an outstanding professional in the field.
• The Collin County Historical Commission awarded Allen Parks and Recreation a Leadership in Preservation Award for efforts in preserving an existing historic resource of Allen’s Houston and Texas Central Railway Water Station. Elements of the project include the preservation of Allen’s 1874 Old Stone Dam, pump house, water tower foundations, developing walking tour signage and the construction of a destination bridge across Cottonwood Creek for site accessibility to the public.

2016

• After being named a fourth-year finalist, for the first time in departmental history, Allen Parks and Recreation was named winner of the NRPA National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management, which honors communities in the U.S. that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition.
• The department also won numerous awards for its marketing and sponsor efforts for Market Street Allen USA Celebration, including TFEA awards for Best Event Website (Silver) for AllenUSA.org, Best Festival/Event Mobile app for AllenUSA.org, Best Miscellaneous Multimedia for the PFSweb video tribute to the military, Best Miscellaneous Printed Materials for the Market Street Allen USA Celebration partner guidebook and Best New Sponsor Program for an exhibit.
• Other awards for Market Street Allen USA Celebration came from IFEA, including Best Event Website for AllenUSA.org, Best Miscellaneous Multimedia for the PFSweb video tribute to the military, Best Single Newspaper Display Ad for Market Street Allen USA Celebration, Best Vendor/Supplier, Best Festival/Event Mobile App (Bronze), Best Ad Series (Silver) and Best Partner Sponsor.
• The TRAPS North Region awarded Allen Parks and Recreation with the Excellence in Programming – Senior award for the U.S. Citizenship Class at Allen Senior Recreation Center. The 12-week complimentary course teaches American history and government while improving participants' English communication skills in preparation for citizenship exams.
• Allen Parks and Recreation received a TOMA award for the Cottonwood Creek Trail Bridge project from the Southwest Park and Recreation Training Institute.

2015

• Market Street Allen USA Celebration received numerous recognitions from IFEA, including Best Event Website for AllenUSA.org, Best Miscellaneous Multimedia for a PFSweb military tribute video and Best Festival/Event Mobile App (Silver) for AllenUSA.org.
• HOW Magazine presented an In-House Design Award (Merit) under the Government Category for Allen Parks and Recreation’s marketing design.
• NRPA named Allen Parks and recreation a Gold Medal Award finalist for the third-consecutive year.

2014

• AllenUSA.org was named the Adobe Muse Site of the Day, received an In-House Design award from Graphic Design USA (GDUSA) and was given Best Event Website (Bronze) recognition from the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA), Best Festival/Event Mobile App from IFEA, Best Event Website (Bronze) from Texas Festivals & Events Association (TFEA) and Best Festival/Event Mobile App (Bronze) from TFEA.
• NRPA named Allen Parks and Recreation a Gold Medal Award finalist the second year in a row.
• The TRAPS North Region presented the Horizons Award for young professionals to Ashley McInnis, supervisor at Joe Farmer Recreation Center. Also, the TRAPS North Region awarded Allen Parks and Recreation with a Communications Award for the Summer Sounds Selfie Promotion and an Excellence in Programming Award for the Zombie Apocalypse Camp.
• Allen Parks and Recreation received TRAPS State awards in Media Excellence for Rec X Video Series and Outstanding Service Individual to Jim Waldbauer, President of Allen Parks Foundation.
• The Southwest Park and Recreation Training Institute named Allen Parks and Recreation a TOMA award winner for best innovative program for "Marketing D'OH-N'TS."

2013

• The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) named Allen Parks and Recreation a finalist for the highly coveted Gold Medal Award for the first time.
• The TRAPS North Region presented Allen Parks and Recreation with an Excellence in Programming Award for the Read to Reed program, which helps elementary students with reading skills, and the Part Time Employee of the Year award, given to Tom Cato.

2012

• The Texas Recreation and Parks Society (TRAPS) North Region presented Allen Parks and Recreation with a Communications Award for a Facebook Photo Contest and an Excellence in Programming (Recreation Program) Award for Alliance for a Healthier Allen.
• Allen Parks and Recreation was presented with a TOMA award from the Southwest Park and Recreation Training Institute for Best PSA/Promotional Presentation for a video produced for Allen Event Center's first anniversary.