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MEDIA CONTACT: MARGARET KURTZ | 702-229-6993 | [email protected]
City of Las Vegas Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs Department
Earns National Accreditation in Parks and Recreation
Mark Of Distinction Recognizes Commitment
To Highest Level Of Service To The Community
Today, the city of Las Vegas Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs department joins the ranks of elite park and recreation agencies across the country and internationally by earning accreditation 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 2026 NRPA Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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, the city of Las Vegas Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs department had to demonstrate compliance with 154 recognized standards and document all policies and procedures. 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.
"During my 21 years at the city of Las Vegas, I've consistently been impressed with the breadth and depth of services we provide to the community, from 88 parks and 150 sports fields to 17 year-round recreation and cultural facilities, programming and special events for all ages, and public art throughout the city," said Director Maggie Plaster. "Earning CAPRA accreditation is an important achievement, because it recognizes the high standards we hold ourselves to while also giving us a clear roadmap for where we can continue to improve. I'm incredibly proud and grateful to the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Affairs staff who invested their time in this process. Their commitment to excellence is what makes our department stronger and, ultimately, helps us deliver an even better experience for the people we serve."
The process of accreditation involves a formal application, 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.
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, the Council of State Executive Directors, The National Recreation and Park Ethnic Minority Society, The National Association of State Park Directors, and the American Therapeutic Recreation Association. For more information about CAPRA accreditation, visit nrpa.org/CAPRA.
To see all that the city of Las Vegas offers at its parks and recreation facilities and its arts centers, go to www.lasvegasnevada.gov/.
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Editor's Note: To download photos of city of Las Vegas parks and recreation facilities and activities, visit https://cityoflasvegas.smugmug.com/Parks-Recreation. To download a high-resolution photo of Mayor Shelley Berkley with Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts management staff, click here. No password is required.
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