Whether it’s teaching adults and children to swim, cleaning up parks, or providing activities in recreation centers across San Diego, a new recognition program is highlighting the impact of the services provided by Parks and Recreation employees.

The City of San Diego Heart of Service Award honors employees who have made a meaningful impact in the community and are going above and beyond to deliver exceptional service. San Diegans are encouraged to submit nominations to acknowledge and express recognition to exceptional employees within the department.

“I am pleased that this program is now in place for members of the public to nominate employees who have gone above and beyond in the course of their work,” said Andy Field, director of the Parks and Recreation Department. “The Heart of Service Award will shine a light on our hard-working employees who provide exceptional service and let them know how much park patrons and visitors appreciate our teams.”

The Heart of Service Award program provides an opportunity for any member of the public to nominate a Parks and Recreation employee to acknowledge and express recognition for the following reasons:

·        Exceptional productivity and work performance.

·        Exceptional lifesaving, safety, or loss prevention.

·        Exceptional customer service, professionalism, and dedication to public service.

The Parks and Recreation Department is one of the City’s largest departments, with over 1,100 employees working in a variety of roles across 60 recreation centers, 15 swimming pools, three golf courses, and over 42,000 acres of developed and undeveloped parkland, joint-use and open space. Hundreds of recreational programs are available to the public, serving tens of thousands of San Diegans each year.

The Heart of Service program follows City of San Diego Administrative Regulation 95.91, establishing standardized criteria, guidelines, and procedures for the City’s Rewards and Recognition (R&R) Program. To be eligible for the award, an employee must have been with the Parks and Recreation Department for at least three months, received no discipline in the last 12 months, and must meet performance standards at the time of the award. Full criteria can be found on the nomination sitio web.

To submit a nomination, public members can visit the Heart of Service nomination page. Nominations must include a brief narrative to qualify for an award.