Houston Parks & Recreation Does it Again

With the Commission of Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies

The Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) is proud to announce it has been re-accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

The accreditation process is a voluntary evaluation from an outside and unbiased source. The department’s business practices are evaluated against national best practices standards created by the NRPA. Aside from the initial review, the accreditation process has an ongoing internal review of the department’s policies and procedures, which helps document all aspects of the department’s operation.

“Houstonians want and deserve great parks. My team has an obligation to operate an efficient and reliable department to provide services and programs to the public. The accreditation is a testament of our hard work,” said Kenneth Allen, Director, Houston Parks and Recreation Department. “I’m extremely proud of our team’s effort on the Park’s Master Plan and the work on evidence of compliance, needed to pass the rigorous accreditation process.”

There are 154 standards created by the NRPA in the CAPRA system. A parks and recreation system are required to meet at least 95% of those standards to be accredited. HPARD surpassed that mark by meeting all 154 standards. That’s 100%. A perfect score. Director Allen added, “this is a major accomplishment for Houston as only a few major metropolitan cities across the country have this distinction.”

As one of only 203 accredited agencies in the United States, HPARD is in the top tier of parks and recreation departments and is one of the largest urban departments to have achieved this status. In its final report, CAPRA said, “HPARD is a cornerstone of Houston’s quality of life, embodying excellence and innovation in urban park management.”

The Houston Parks and Recreation Department received its initial CAPRA Accreditation in 2008. The department officially received the award on October 9, 2024, at the NRPA Annual Conference in Atlanta.

About the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD)
HPARD stewards and manages 380 developed parks, more than 172 greenspaces, and more than 25,000 acres of parkland for the City of Houston. HPARD develops and implements recreational programming for citizens of all ages and abilities. The Department is nationally accredited through the National Recreation and Park Association’s (NRPA) Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. For more information on HPARD, visit http://www.houstonparks.org or email us at askparks@houstontx.gov.