Title
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department Receives National Re-Accreditation (B)
This item is a brief presentation regarding PRCA’s recently obtained reaccreditation and to view the 25th Anniversary CAPRA video. **estimated staff presentation 10 minutes**
Explanation
On September 27, 2018, the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (PRCA) joined the ranks of elite parks, recreation and cultural affairs agencies across the country by earning reaccreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). This accomplishment was awarded during the 2018 NRPA Annual Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana.
In 2013, the department received its first accreditation, then one of only 119 agencies that had achieved this accomplishment. Now, five years later, there are 178 accredited departments in the country. Fewer than 2% of all parks and recreation agencies in the U.S. achieve this distinction.
The accreditation process compares the City’s PRCA operations against 151 Industry Best Practices and Standards. Meeting or exceeding these Best Practices makes a department better and more effective in serving its citizens. The Industry Best Practices and Standards of CAPRA are in line with the City’s efforts to provide exemplary services for the people who call Gainesville home and to further Gainesville’s drive to become a New American City. From innovative new parks, to uplifting cultural experiences and recreational programming that appeals to diverse audiences, PRCA is a leader on the national scene by being reaccredited.
The accreditation process is a voluntary evaluation of the department that is conducted by an external, unbiased source, CAPRA, which is the only national accreditation for parks, recreation and cultural affairs agencies, and measures an agency’s overall quality of operation, management and service to the community. The...
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