Shoreline’s Park, Recreation and Cultural Services Department earns National Accreditation

Parks staff and City council beam as
Jesus Aguirre presents the certification
to Mayor Will Hall
Photo courtesy City of Shoreline

BEST OF THE BEST!

Today, Shoreline celebrates becoming just the third city in Washington State to earn national accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

This esteemed accomplishment places Shoreline in the top 1% of Parks and Recreation agencies across the country!

Shoreline was granted this distinguished award on September 23 at the NRPA Annual Conference in Baltimore, MD. A formal presentation to the City Manager by Jesus Aguirre (NRPA Board Treasurer) took place during the October 14, 2019 Shoreline City Council meeting.

CAPRA accreditation is a measure of an agency’s overall quality of operation, management, and service to the community. This mark of distinction indicates that an agency has met 151 rigorous best practice standards related to the management and administration of parks and open spaces, facilities, resources, recreation programs, safety, and services.

“I applaud the commitment of city staff to providing the highest quality services to the residents of Shoreline,” stated City Manager Debbie Tarry. “I am very proud to work with such dedicated professionals and pleased that they have been judged by their peers from across the country to be following and implementing best practices.”

The process for accreditation involves a formal application, self-assessments, a site visit by a team of trained visitors that results in a written report, and a hearing with the CAPRA Commission to grant accreditation. Once accredited, the agency must uphold the standards by submitting an annual report and is reviewed again in five years.

The Commission is comprised of representatives from NRPA, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials, the International City/County Management Association, the Academy for Leisure Sciences, the Armed Forces Recreation Network, and the Council of State Executive Directors.

The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. Digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks and Recreation here.