Boasting more than 50 parks facilities, the Westchester County Parks Department has once again earned the distinction of being accredited by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), even as the department's 18,000 acres faced the challenge of recovering from $25 million in Superstorm Sandy damage, County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced at a news conference.
Joining him were County Parks Commissioner Kathleen O'Connor; Lucy Rockefeller Waletzky, M.D., chair of the New York State Council of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; and Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson, chair of the Friends of Westchester County Parks.
The accreditation designation was awarded at NRPA's annual conference held in Houston, Texas earlier this month.
"This accreditation by the NRPA is the highest honor that a parks system can earn," Astorino said. "Westchester is the only county in the region to have earned such an award, one of only 107 park and recreation agencies in the entire country and the only one in New York State. It is a tribute to the great work of our Parks department and something everyone in Westchester can be proud of."
The goal of the accreditation program is to create a system of standards that allow agencies to compare their practices to what is considered a professional model, measure delivery of recreational services, and identify effectiveness and efficiency in meeting the interests and needs of constituents.
Commissioner O'Connor said: "While we approached the accreditation process with confidence in our facilities and management operations, it's always wonderful to receive this validation. Residents can rest assured that we will continue to provide the best in parks services."
Long-time parks and environmental advocate Dr. Waletzky, the current NYS Council of Parks chair and whose father, Laurance S. Rockefeller (1910-2004), was a founder and first president of NRPA, said: "I am delighted to recognize Kathy O'Connor and the Parks Department as they celebrate receiving this honor. My father was a great champion of outdoor recreation and the environment, and he would be just as proud as I am to stand here today to congratulate the county parks staff on this fine achievement."
Funding for the reaccreditation application and review process, which included a visit by members of CAPRA to Westchester County, was provided by the Friends of Westchester County Parks, Inc.
Friends' chairperson Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson said: "This award is a reflection of the quality of our parks and the dedication of the PRC staff. Friends of Westchester County Parks is proud to be associated with one of the nation's most respected parks systems. And Westchester residents are truly fortunate to be the beneficiaries."
Once accredited, an agency is expected to maintain these high standards and to improve on them over the next five years when it must apply for reaccreditation. Westchester's parks system was the first county in New York State to receive this distinction in 2003 followed by its reaccreditation in 2008. This latest 2013 accreditation makes it currently the only parks and recreation agency accredited in the state.
A special committee of administrative and field staff from NRPA's Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) was appointed to conduct the comprehensive self-assessment report, which included a three-day visit by certified park and recreation professionals.
Accreditation is based on an agency's compliance with 36 fundamental standards and at least 85 percent of the remaining 108 standards (92) in 10 major categories: agency authority, role and responsibility; planning; organization and administration; human resources; finance; program and services management; facility and land use management; safety and security; risk management; and evaluation and research.
Astorino described some of the damage the county parks faced, especially at Playland Park in Rye, where portions of the main Boardwalk and pier were destroyed, roofs and light fixtures blown away, and sand displaced, totaling approximately $20 million in repairs. The remaining $5 million in damage occurred at several other parks, significantly Lasdon Park and Arboretum in Somers, Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Cross River, and Glen Island Park.