Arlington County's Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has received its fifth consecutive accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA), the county announced.
The accreditation was announced Sept. 30, 2026, at the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) 2026 Best of the Best ceremony, reaffirming Arlington County as one of only 222 park and recreation agencies out of 10,000 across the nation to hold CAPRA accreditation.
"Our parks and recreation system is one of Arlington's greatest community resources, maintained at an exceptional standard of quality," said Matt de Ferranti, Arlington County Board Chair. "Earning CAPRA accreditation for the fifth time is a testament to the excellent care and intention that makes Arlington one of the top park systems in the nation."
CAPRA is the only national accreditation program for parks and recreation programs in the country, recognizing organizations that meet the highest nationally recognized standards in the field. To earn accreditation, agencies must meet the requirements for 154 standards across 10 categories, including program and service management, facility and land use management, evaluation and research, planning and administration.
"For more than 20 years, CAPRA accreditation has served as a foundation for our delivery of high-quality parks, programs, and services," said Jane Rudolph, Director of Arlington County's Department of Parks and Recreation. "This recognition reflects our department's commitment to accountability and meaningful community impact."
The accreditation caps a year of achievements for DPR, including the 2025 National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Parks and Recreation Management, four state awards for exemplary programs, and a seventh-place national ranking in the Trust for Public Land's 2026 ParkScore rankings. The department also launched its FY26-30 Strategic Plan, which sets out its vision, priorities and goals for stewarding sustainable resources and equitable access through inclusive programs, services and public spaces.