The Commission on Accreditation of Parks & Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) recently approved the Parks & Recreation Department’s petition for an expedited review. The City of Pearland earned its CAPRA accreditation in 2013 and is undergoing a review for reaccreditation. Departments earn their accreditation by meeting rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, and services.

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. The expedited review is given to those departments who demonstrate work and leadership in the position of parks, recreation and cultural services on a large scale. 

The Parks & Recreation Department has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to improving the quality of Pearland parks, recreation and events.  Over the last five years, the department has added five Certified Park and Recreation Professional designations to their base team, created a new Master Plan and has been recognized for numerous awards regarding their service. The approval of the petition for expedited review is the first step towards reaffirming the quality and hard work of the Parks & Recreation Departments.

The approval for expedited review also means that instead of a weeklong revisit from CAPRA, the Parks & Recreation Department must complete a self-assessment and go through a two-day spot check. The decision on the reaccreditation of the Parks & Recreation Department will be made in late-fall 2018.

For more information about CAPRA accreditation, visit nrpa.org/CAPRA.