Vienna Wins National Awards For Recreation, Event Options

VIENNA, VA — The Town of Vienna has won Voice of the People Awards for Excellence in Recreation and Wellness as well as Excellence in Education and Enrichment. The awards will be presented Oct. 21 at the International City/County Management Association conference in Nashville.

Vienna is one of 22 communities nationwide receiving the awards from ICMA, National Research Center, Inc. and Polco. Results are based on resident ratings in the 2018 National Citizen Survey, which the town conducts every other year. The survey documents resident opinion and satisfaction with local government and services. Participating jurisdictions can see how ratings compare to other communities around the U.S.

The town scored higher than comparison jurisdictions in 65 categories. A majority of survey respondents said Vienna is an excellent or good place to raise children and live. The town was rated similar in 57 categories and lower in four: travel by car, traffic flow, affordable quality housing and the percentage who work in Vienna.

Vienna residents had higher ratings of recreational opportunities, parks, recreation center, and recreation programs than other jurisdictions. Ratings for the town's special events and attendance at these events were much higher than for other jurisdictions. A few of the town's annual events are Oktoberfest, the Halloween Parade and Holiday Stroll.

"We like to think that parks and recreation programming and community events function as the connective tissue that brings our community together and makes it stronger," said Leslie Herman, parks and recreation director for Vienna. "We’re so gratified that our programs, facilities, and events are appreciated by citizens."

The National Citizen Survey was mailed to 1,600 random households in Vienna last fall. The survey generated 695 responses and is used for the town's budgeting, performance measurement, and program planning.