The city of Gainesville has made Leslie Knope proud.
Gainesville’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs recently received accreditation from the National Recreation and Park Association. The department had to meet 142 standards before it could receive the national seal of approval, said Steve Phillips, department director.
Some of the benchmarks include clear and effective policies, good foresight in planning, direction for management and well-structured administration, according to the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies.
The accreditation was finalized when the department received its award earlier this month at the NRPA’s Congress and Exposition in Houston. It is one of 13 agencies across the nation accredited this year, and it is one of 23 agencies in Florida that has received the accreditation.
“It’s a very significant accomplishment,” said Lauren Hoffman, spokeswoman for the National Recreation and Park Association. “It’s a real proof that the agency is excelling at what they’re doing in their community.”
Jennifer Gelfand, a program coordinator with the city, said securing accreditation was tedious.
“For us, it just means that we are doing that job, and we are at that level,” Gelfand said.
The department must reapply for accreditation every five years.
A version of this story ran on page 8 on 10/23/2013 under the headline "Parks get national honor"
Auriel Shupack, 7, plays at the Albert “Ray” Massey Westside Park, 1001 NW 34th St., Tuesday afternoon.
