Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department has become one of only 54 park systems in the country to receive national accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). The announcement was made October 12th at the National Recreation and Parks Association?s national congress.
National accreditation requires parks and recreation departments to engage in a two-year self-assessment and peer review process. Agencies must respond to 156 standards in 10 categories that represent elements of effective and efficient operations.
"We have always recognized that we have a tremendous park system, and now the entire country will know that our Parks and Recreation Department is among the nation's best," said Mayor Graham Richard. "Congratulations to our parks and recreation employees for their hard work in achieving this accreditation and helping us build a better city."
CAPRA implemented its standards in 1989 as a blend for academic and practitioner benchmarking. These professional practices have helped raise the quality of parks and recreation departments nationwide.
"Becoming an accredited agency is a major accomplishment for our department," said Dianne Hoover, Director of Parks and Recreation. "By engaging in this intense self-assessment effort, our department has increased its efficiency and enhanced service to the citizens of Fort Wayne."
Accredited agencies are located throughout the United States — from Texas to Wisconsin, and from the state of Washington to Rhode Island. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org.
Posted by Admin at October 18, 2004 02:38 PM