THPRD earns CAPRA accreditation
The Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District learned on Monday, Sept. 25, that it has successfully earned accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA).
THPRD is one of just four CAPRA accredited park and recreation providers in Oregon. Nationally, only 155 agencies – less than 2% of providers – are accredited.
“This is a significant milestone,” said Jerry Jones Jr., president of the THPRD Board of Directors. “The 151 standards that accreditation requires are all indicators that THPRD is an agency that is acting strategically and responsibly on behalf of Beaverton-area residents.”
The 15-member CAPRA board is sponsored by the National Recreation & Park Association, which is currently holding its annual conference in New Orleans.
CAPRA’s website defines its standards as “an effective and credible means of evaluating a park and recreation agency’s overall system.” The accreditation process “assures policy makers, department staff, the general public and taxpayers that an accredited park and recreation agency has been independently evaluated against established benchmarks as delivering a high level of quality.”
“This valuable process has made us a better agency,” said Doug Menke, THPRD general manager. “We’ve reviewed, updated and documented plans that will guide our long-term operations, and make us more effective at providing high-quality programs and services.”
To earn accreditation, THPRD submitted a self-assessment in April, preparing and documenting its compliance with the CAPRA standards. In June, three CAPRA visitors completed a peer review of THPRD’s application materials.
“It’s a wonderful way to show residents that we’re acting with their best interests in mind,” Menke said. “We are responsibly going about our long-term planning, developing new programs, protecting natural resources and expanding opportunities for indoor and outdoor recreation.”
For the second straight year, THRPD was selected as a finalist in its category for an NRPA Gold Medal Award. On Tuesday, Grand Prairie, Texas was announced as the Class II winner.
“This week has been nothing but positive,” Menke said. “These recent accomplishments are helping our residents, our board and our industry peers recognize the work we do to make the Beaverton area an even better place to live.”
About THPRD
Formed in 1955, THPRD is the largest special park district in Oregon, spanning 50 square miles and serving about 240,000 residents in the greater Beaverton area. The district provides year-round recreational opportunities for people of all ages and abilities. Offerings include thousands of widely diverse classes, 95 park sites with active recreational amenities, nearly 70 miles of trails, eight swim centers, six recreation centers, and about 1,500 acres of natural areas. For more information, visit www.thprd.org or call 503-645-6433.
Contact: Bob Wayt Director – Communications 503/614-1218 (direct) 503/686-5134 (cell) |
Date: September 20, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Click here for official release (PDF). |