Prince William County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Earns Accreditation from the National Recreation and Parks Association.

On October 21, 2020, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors announced that the County’s Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (DPRT) achieved accreditation from the National Recreation and Parks Associations (NRPA) Commission on Parks and Recreation Accreditation (CAPRA). 

Earning this honor after a year-long review process, DPRT joined a group of only twelve other Virginia agencies, and only one-percent of parks and recreation agencies nationwide, to hold CAPRA accreditation.  As part of the accreditation process, the Department documented compliance with 151 agency standards demonstrating well detailed process, efficient operations, and a high level of service to the community. 

“Earning CAPRA accreditation is a great honor that confirms the commitment we make to serving the recreation and leisure needs of Prince William County’s residents,” said Ann Wheeler, Chair of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. “From neighborhood parks to waterparks, from trails to sports fields, from skateparks to recreation centers, there are so many examples of how our Board, staff, and residents work together to address the needs of our community and embody best practices in municipal parks and recreation.”

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 mark of distinction indicates that an agency has met rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety and services.

“CAPRA accreditation confirms our agency’s commitment to operational excellence and serving the community at the highest level,” said Seth Hendler-Voss, Director of Prince William County’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. “Achieving accreditation is a great recognition of the amazing work our staff does every day and is a true point of pride for our Department.”

The accreditation process involves a formal application, self-assessments, a site visit by a team of trained visitors that results in a written report (conducted virtually this year due to COVID-19), and a hearing with the 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 on Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies 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.

About the National Recreation and Park Association

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. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit ww.parksandrecreation.org.