Robert Doyle, General Manager of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) and Walnut Creek resident for over 30 years, received a national award for his leadership of our regional park system.

With recipients chosen by the American Academy of Park and Recreation Administration, the Honorable Cornelius Amory Pugsley Award medal is the most prestigious award given in the United States for the development of public parks, recreation, and conservation.

During his acceptance speech, Doyle humbly thanked others for their work in helping him expand area parklands and increase the number of trails.  “I did not do these things by myself,” he said. “I did it with mentors who pushed me, leaders who trusted me, and generations of park champions. To be the stewards of these wonderful places where kids can play, where all are welcome, where birds sing and flowers bloom year after year is a great reward.”

Founded in 1934 during the Depression by citizens concerned about preserving the open space, the EBRPD is the largest urban regional district in the United States covering 121,000-acres in 73 parks with 1,250-miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

Doyle began his long career with EBRD as a park ranger. During his 21-year tenure, he has served as assistant general manager for Land Acquisition and Planning and helped create the district’s first Regional Trails Master Plan. Doyle has headed the park system as general manager since 2010.  -BY DEBORAH BURSTYN