Carson Park

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. That adage applies to making it all the way across the monkey bars as well as to the quest by the agency in charge of those monkey bars to be honored as the best of its kind. For the second year in a row, The Eau Claire Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department is a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. “To be recognized last year was a real honor,” department director Phil Fieber said in a press release. “But to go from never having been recognized previously, to two finalist nominations in a row, really speaks to the hard work and commitment our staff has put in to grow themselves and provide the best possible services for our community.” Eau Claire is among four finalists in Class IV, which includes communities with populations between 30,000 and 75,000. (The others are Englewood, Colo.; Loveland, Colo.; and Oak Park, Ill.) According to a press release, “A panel of five industry professionals will review and judge agencies on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective work of its citizens, staff and elected officials.” Winners will be announced in September.