CAPRA
The City of Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation joined the ranks of elite park and recreation agencies nationwide by earning accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). This distinguished accomplishment was awarded during the 2023 NRPA Annual Conference in October of this year!
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. This distinction indicates that an agency has met rigorous standards for managing and administrating lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety, and services.
The process for accreditation involves a formal application, self-assessments, a site visit by a team of trained volunteers that results in a written report, and a hearing with the commission to grant accreditation.
BENEFITS OF ACCREDITATION
FOR OUR COMMUNITY
- Demonstrates that the department meets national standards of best practice.
- Recognizes the community as a great place to live.
- Helps secure external financial support and reduce costs for the community.
- Holds the park and recreation department accountable to the public and ensures responsiveness to meet their needs.
- Ensures that all staff are providing quality customer service.
FOR THE PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT
- Provides positive public and political recognition.
- Proves to decision makers, stakeholders and the public that your department is operating with the best practices of the profession.
- Increases credibility and can improve internal and external funding.
- Improves overall operations and increases efficiency.
- Enhances staff teamwork and pride by engaging all staff in the process.
- Creates an environment for regular review of operations, policies and procedures, and promotes continual improvement.
We are thrilled that we are the 6th agency in Oregon and one of the 200 agencies throughout the United States.
For more information on CAPRA, visit www.nrpa.org.