The Cary Park District has been recognized as an Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency by the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD) and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IRPA). It is the highest accreditation possible in the State of Illinois for a park and recreation agency. It is the fifth time the Cary Park District has received this award.
“We are honored to once again be recognized by our peers as a Distinguished Accredited Agency,” said Cary Park District Executive Director Dan Jones. “This achievement is the result of a great deal of hard work by the Board of Commissioners and all the staff of the Cary Park District. To accomplish this, it takes an agency wide commitment and we hope the outcome of these efforts is the highest quality recreational programs and park amenities for Cary Park District residents.”
What does receiving this award means to Cary Park District residents? It means the Cary Park District:
Meets professional standards for facilities and services Is acknowledged as employing qualified professionals Is recognized as a leader in the State of Illinois in the field of park and recreation Has quality programs and servicesThe Distinguished Accreditation review process requires an agency to complete and participate in an extensive and detailed review in six critical categories: General Management, Finance and Business, Operations, Facilities and Parks, Personnel, Recreation Services, and Legal. A team of five members from the Joint Distinguished Park and Recreation Accreditation Committee spent a day onsite at the Cary Park District reviewing support materials and touring parks and facilities to determine compliance with the standards. This comprehensive review targets the overall and departmental organizational structures, administrative and operational procedures, policy manuals, employee training, parks and open spaces and services for special needs participants.
There are three hundred-sixty park and recreation agencies throughout the State of Illinois. The Cary Park District is one of forty-four park and recreation agencies that have received this award. It was the first agency in McHenry County to receive this designation and the only agency in McHenry County to have been awarded the honor five times.