Dallas Parks Receive National Recognition, Accreditation

The City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department has earned national accreditation in the field of parks and recreation through the Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

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 related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety and services. Dallas has received this accreditation every year since 2016.

“We could not be happier with where our park system is, how it is growing and how it will continue to grow for the future. It has never been more apparent than right now that Dallas residents love their parks and trails, and they have given overwhelming support for bond programs that have further enhanced the park system,” President of the Dallas Park and Recreation Board Calvert Collins-Bratton said. “Getting to this point took years of visionary leadership by Dallas Park and Recreation employees and Park Board members with the support of our City Council, partner agencies and innovative public-private partnerships.”

As part of the accreditation process, Dallas demonstrated compliance with 154 recognized standards and document all policies and procedures. Less than 2 percent of park and recreation genies in the country have attained accreditation. Dallas is among 20 municipal park and recreation departments in Texas to be accredited.

Accreditation signifies that the department utilizes national best practices in all facets of the organization from recreation programs to park maintenance standards to business operations. The accreditation process often helps identify efficiencies and heighten areas of accountability, all of which translate into higher quality service and operation to benefit the community.