Greenville County Rec earns national honor

GREENVILLE, S.C. – Greenville County Rec has earned the prestigious CAPRA accreditation, the only national one of its kind for park and recreation services, it was announced Wednesday.

The designation puts the agency on an elite list as measured by overall quality of operation, management, and service to the community, according to the accreditation guidelines.

“We are now one of about 150 agencies out of a total of more than 10,000 public parks and recreation agencies to achieve this distinction,” said Gene Smith, Greenville County Rec's executive director.

As part of the accreditation process, the agency had to demonstrate compliance with 144 standards, take part in intensive self-assessments, document all policies and procedures, host a site visit by a team of trained visitors, and participate in a hearing with the CAPRA commission, among other things.

“The process itself helped us to identify efficiencies and heighten areas of accountability, all of which translate into higher quality service and operation to benefit our community,” Smith said.

“This mark of distinction indicates that our Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department has met rigorous standards related to the management and administration of lands, facilities, resources, programs, safety and services,” Joe Kernell, Greenville County administrator, said. “This national accreditation confirms what we know: Greenville County’s recreation department is one of the finest in the nation.”

On the Web: CAPRA Agency Accredidation— Greenville County Rec