The Parks, Trails and Environment Committee heard a briefing May 5 from park department staff on preparing a 2026 reaccreditation submission to the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA).

Robin Stein Schneider, superintendent in Park and Recreation, and Ryan O'Connor, park department staff, told the committee that CAPRA is a national accreditation administered by the National Recreation and Park Association and that the department first earned accreditation in 2016 and again in 2021. Schneider said CAPRA sets 154 standards, including 36 "fundamental" standards that all accredited agencies must meet.

"It helps demonstrate that the department meets national standards of best practice," Schneider said, adding that the accreditation "helps increase our credibility" and can make the department more competitive for grants and external funding.

Ryan O'Connor noted the department said the reaccreditation process will require staff to document compliance with 112 of the 118 applicable standards for reaccreditation and that preparing the submission is roughly a year-long effort involving dozens of employees as a succession-planning exercise.

Committee members praised the accreditation and asked for additional information. Chair Arnold asked staff to explain training requirements for maintaining accreditation; Schneider and O'Connor described substantial ongoing training and quality-control work to prepare narratives and link evidence to each standard. Councilmember Moreno and others emphasized public safety and maintenance as priorities tied to accreditation, with Moreno urging further work on lighting and security in parks.

Schneider and O'Connor said the department sees CAPRA as a tool for continuous improvement and a point of pride for staff, and they said the department expects to prepare and submit reaccreditation materials in 2026. No formal committee vote was recorded on the briefing.

The committee asked staff to share more information with council members and the public about what CAPRA accreditation means in practice.