Naperville Park District is 104th recreation agency in the nation to achieve national accreditation

At its annual national conference in Atlanta, the National Park and Recreation Association announced that the Naperville Park District achieved national accreditation. The District is only the second park district in Illinois and the 104th agency nationally to have achieved this distinction. End Quote

Chicago, IL (1888PressRelease) November 04, 2011 - On Wednesday, November 2, Naperville Park District officials heard the good news for which they had been waiting for many months: the District achieved national accreditation status through the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

The decision was announced at the NRPA national conference in Atlanta following a formal hearing before the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA).

Naperville is only the second park district in Illinois to earn this distinction and the 104th nationally accredited agency in the nation; there are more than 10,000 recreation agencies in the United States. The Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies accredits a handful of park agencies each year that have completed a multi-step process involving a self-review by the agency, a site visit and an evaluation and formal report by the Commission.

"We are extremely proud to bring this honor to Naperville," said Park District Executive Director Ray McGury. "It's an affirmation of our high standards and also an encouragement to continue bringing high quality recreation and park experiences to our community."

The Park District's accreditation process began approximately one year ago and included an extensive self-evaluation by staff and a 5-day visit from CAPRA reviewers this past July. Maintaining the accreditation requires annual reports and 5- and 10-year reviews.

Park District staff members noted that the CAPRA process has helped them see the big picture, focus on long term goals and plans, review plans more regularly, organize documents so that they are more accessible and collaborate more effectively with other departments and outside organizations.

For questions about the Naperville Park District and its programs and facilities, please contact the Naperville Park District at 630-848-5000 or visit www.napervilleparks.org.

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