National Accreditation

TUCSON PARKS AND RECREATION EARNS NATIONAL ACCREDITATION

Oct. 2026 - Tucson Parks and Recreation continues to be among the elite park and recreation agencies across the country by earning reaccreditation 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 2020 NRPA Annual Conference: A Virtual Experience. The department originally was awarded CAPRA Accreditation in October 2010 and maintained accredited agency status in 2015, as it is a requirement of agency accreditation to go through a review process every five years.

Benefits of Accreditation

For Our Community

• Demonstrates that the agency meets national standards of best practice.
• Recognizes the community as a great place to live.
• Helps secure external financial support and reduce costs for the community. 
• Holds an agency accountable to the public and ensures responsiveness to meet their needs.
• Ensures that all staff are providing quality customer service.

For Our Agency and Staff

• Provides positive public and political recognition.
• Proves to decision makers, stakeholders and the public that the agency is operating with the best practices of the profession.
• Increases credibility and can improve internal and external funding.
• Improves overall operations and increases efficiency.
• Enhances staff teamwork and pride by engaging all staff in the process.
• Creates an environment for regular review of operations, policies and procedures, and promotes continual improvement.