Canton Leisure Services Receives National Award

Canton Leisure Services was recognized for excellence in the field of parks and recreation management earlier this month by receiving re-accreditation and remaining one of only 119 agencies in the country currently holding national accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA).  

This distinguished accomplishment was announced in Houston, Texas during the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) 2013 Congress and Legislative Forum on Oct. 8.

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.

The process of re-accreditation is extensive and takes approximately one year to accomplish. Accreditation is based on an agency's compliance with the 156 standards for national accreditation.

CAPRA accreditation includes three phases after the application process: development of an agency self-assessment report, on-site peer review performed by a Commission-approved visitation team, and the Commission's review and
decision. To become accredited, agencies must comply with all 36 fundamental standards and must meet 85 percent of the remaining 120 standards.

Canton Leisure Services received a 100 percent score that was obtained by meeting every standard in all ten categories.

"Accreditation has been a great management tool for our organization," said Canton Leisure Services Director Debbie Bilbrey-Honsowetz, CPRP. "Attaining national accreditation is confirmation of our entire staff's efforts to provide quality facilities, programs and services throughout the Canton community."

Canton Leisure Services, originally accredited in 2004, is currently one of only two CAPRA accredited agencies in the state of Michigan and was also previously re-accredited in 2008. Accreditation is valid for a period of five years.

For more information on Canton Leisure Services' CAPRA accreditation, visit 
www.cantonfun.org.

Source: news release