Oak Lawn Park District Earns National Accreditation in Parks and Recreation

            The Oak Lawn Park District maintained its position in the ranks of elite park and recreation agencies and departments across the country by earning accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). This distinguished accomplishment was awarded during the 2013 NRPA Congress and Exposition, held earlier this month in Houston, Texas.

            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.

            As part of the accreditation process, the Oak Lawn Park District had to demonstrate compliance with 144 recognized standards and document all policies and procedures. Often the process helps identify efficiencies and heighten areas of accountability, all of which translate into higher quality service and operation to benefit the community.

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

            In 2008, The Oak Lawn Park District became the first agency in the State of Illinois to earn both National and State Accreditations. With our re-accreditation being announced this week, we remain one of only five agencies in the State of Illinois to be recognized on the national level.

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