Miami-Dade County Parks awarded national reaccreditation for the sixth time

The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) announced that the Miami-Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department has received re-accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). This distinguished accomplishment was awarded during the NRPA’s virtual 2020 Best of the Best Ceremony on Wednesday, October 28th.

National accreditation through CAPRA is an extensive multi-year process, which includes the completion of an application and detailed self-assessment report, a site visit by a committee of leaders in the park and recreation profession, and a final assessment completed by the agency and CAPRA.

Accreditation requires agencies to respond to 151 standards representing elements of effective and efficient park and recreation operations. Miami-Dade County Parks received reaccreditation with the distinction of meeting 100% of accreditation requirements.

Out of thousands of parks systems throughout the nation, only 186, including Miami-Dade County, are accredited. Currently serving a residential population of nearly 2.8 million Miami-Dade County residents and providing local services to approximately 1.4 million residents in the unincorporated area, the Department was the first municipal park system of its size to be honored with national accreditation when it originally received this recognition from CAPRA in 1995.

“We are extremely proud to once again receive CAPRA reaccreditation from the national leaders of the park and recreation industry,” said Miami-Dade Parks Director Maria I. Nardi, “This affirms Miami-Dade Parks’ long standing commitment to delivering excellence through high-quality, safe and accessible park and recreation opportunities for the health and well-being of our community, grounded in our Department’s three pillars: health and fitness, conservation and design excellence.”

“We would like to congratulate Miami-Dade Parks as an exceptional parks and recreation department in the nation. They have met the highest standards of operations, management, and service to the community,” said CAPRA Visitation Team Chair Michael Klitzing.

Miami-Dade County Parks is recipient of numerous other awards, both as an agency as a whole and for the accomplishments of its individual facilities and programs. These include multiple-year receipt of the NRPA National Gold Medal Award for demonstrated excellence in long-range planning, resource management and agency recognition, a 2009 Florida Governor’s Sterling Award, and the 2013 Florida Governor’s Sustained Excellence Award, among many other accolades.

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. Accreditation is valid for a period of five years.

The Commission is comprised of representatives from NRPA, the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration, the National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials, the International City/County Management Association, the Academy for Leisure Sciences, the Armed Forces Recreation Network and the Council of State Executive Directors.

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

The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing park, recreation and conservation efforts that enhance quality of life for all people. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and citizens, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.

About Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces:
Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces is the third largest county park system in the United States, consisting of 278 parks and 13,769 acres of land. It is one of the most unique park and recreation systems in the world and focused on Placemaking, Health and Fitness and Conservation and Stewardship.

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