Lee County Parks & Recreation earns national accreditation in Parks and Recreation

Lee County Parks & Recreation earned its fifth-consecutive accreditation through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies and the National Recreation and Park Association. The achievement continues the department’s standing as a nationally distinguished park and recreation agency over the last 23 years. The announcement was made at the 2024 NRPA Annual Conference held in Atlanta.

The department initially earned national accreditation in 2001, received re-accreditation in 2006, 2011 and 2016, and once again met 154 national standards to earn this designation.

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, Lee County Parks & Recreation demonstrated compliance with 154 recognized performance and operations standards. 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.

“Achieving accreditation is a prestigious achievement,” Parks & Recreation director Mack Young said. “This is a reflection of the phenomenal work of our staff and of our commitment to excellence for our patrons.”

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

Lee County Parks & Recreation operates more than 37,000 acres of parks, preserves, facilities and other sites. The department oversees four recreation centers, 10 community centers, community parks, Conservation 20/20 lands, greenways, the Calusa Blueway Paddling Trail, four year-round pools, seven boat ramps, sports complexes including the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins spring training facilities, dog-friendly facilities and Gulf of Mexico beach parks.

For more information about CAPRA accreditation, visit nrpa.org/CAPRA. To learn more about NRPA, visit nrpa.org.

For more information about Lee County Parks and Recreation locations, amenities, and other special events, visit www.leeparks.org.