Carmel, Ind. (September 23, 2019) – Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation (CCPR) was awarded reaccreditation from the Commission for the Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) at this year’s National Recreation and Park Association Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.
CAPRA requires reaccreditation every five years, CCPR was first awarded CAPRA accreditation in 2014. Reaccreditation demonstrates CCPR’s dedication to providing the community the highest level of service.
“As a department, we have worked diligently over the last five years to strengthen our processes and have utilized accreditation to make our department stronger and a national leader for the parks and recreation industry. The accreditation process also served as an effective team-building exercise, providing staff the opportunity to both realize how much we have accomplished and discover opportunities for improvement to better serve our community,” said Kurtis Baumgartner, Assistant Director for CCPR.
“Reaccreditation is a reflection of our staff and the hard work they continue to do every day to make a positive impact in our community,” said Michael Klitzing, Director for CCPR “Receiving CAPRA Reaccreditation is the culmination of years of dedication by our staff to document our policies and procedures and updates required to meet the stringent standards. Only four parks in Indiana hold this accreditation, and only 169 total across the United States.”
CCPR staff will celebrate this accomplishment with a banner presentation on Oct. 22 in the Monon Community Center gymnasium.
CCPR annually serves more than 2,500 students in its Extended School Enrichment before and after school program, 6,800 children in its Summer Camp Series, and 25,000 participants in its 2,000 different recreation and aquatic programs. In 2018, Monon Community Center (MCC) memberships and day passes to the MCC and The Waterpark exceeded 750,000. CCPR manages more than 500 acres of parkland, 13 parks, 4 greenways, and 26.5 miles of developed trails with total annual visitation estimated to be in the millions.
About Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation
Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation (CCPR) holds the Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA) in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) for parks serving populations of 75,001 to 150,000. As an accredited agency, the department serves the recreation, fitness and nature needs of the community, manages and develops existing spaces and resources and creates a sustainable future for parks and recreation programs through a financially viable and environmentally conscious parks system. CCPR manages and maintains more than 500 park acres and numerous recreation facilities, including the Monon Community Center and The Waterpark. In addition, CCPR has partnered with Carmel Clay Schools to establish Extended School Enrichment (ESE), a before and after-school care program for K-6 students located at all eleven Carmel elementary schools. The Summer Camp Series is a component of ESE that offers 12 different summer camps accommodating children ages 5-15. For more information, visit carmelclayparks.com.
