Renton’s Community Services Department is again nationally accredited
Published 5:23 pm Tuesday, April 10, 2012
The City of Renton’s Community Services Department, which oversees Renton’s parks and recreation programs, once again is one of only two such departments in the state to receive national accreditation.
The honor was conferred by the National Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and announced recently in Washington, D.C., by the National Park and Recreation Association.
There are only 99 parks and recreation agencies accredited in the United States.
“This recognition is for achieving the gold standard for quality parks and recreation,” said Mayor Denis Law. “This is a testament to the professionalism, innovation and creativity of all the employees within Community Services Department.”
National accreditation through CAPRA is an extensive multi-year process, which includes the completion of an application and detailed self-assessment report, a site visit by a committee of experienced park and recreation professionals, and a final assessment completed by the agency and the commission.
Accreditation requires agencies to respond to 144 standards representing elements of effective and efficient park and recreation operations, including financial management, planning, human resources, programs and services, facility and land management, public safety, risk management, and research and evaluation, according to the City of Renton.
CAPRA accreditation is the only national accreditation for park and recreation agencies, and is a measure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management and service to the community.
