ST. PETER — St. Peter’s Recreation & Leisure Services Department recently received two 2026 Awards of Excellence from the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association.
The city received awards in the marketing and communications category for its “An Evening With” Author Series and in the park and facility category for the first phase of the Gorman Park Improvement Project.
In a release, Recreation & Leisure Services Director Ryan Yunkers stated that the projects “demonstrate how recreation extends far beyond parks and programs – it creates opportunities to connect people, strengthen community and improve quality of life.”
The award-winning “An Evening With” Author Series was created to bring nationally recognized authors to St. Peter while making literature accessible to readers of all ages, according to the release.
Since launching in 2025, the annual event has brought in more than 1,000 attendees and has featured children’s author Kate DiCamillo and New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger.
The Gorman Park Improvement Project, meanwhile, was designed so people of all ages and abilities can experience the park together. New features include ramped play structures, inclusive sensory play elements and accessible merry-go-round and swings, among other elements.