Warrenville Park District Receives Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency Award

WARRENVILLE PARK DISTRICT RECEIVES ILLINOIS DISTINGUISHED ACCREDITED AGENCY AWARD

The Warrenville Park District on Jan. 24, 2014 was recognized as an Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency by the Illinois Association of Park Districts and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association at the recent IAPD/IPRA Annual Conference.

The Illinois Distinguished Accreditation program is administered by the two agencies with the goal of improving the delivery of park and recreation services to Illinois residents. Agencies undergo a voluntary comprehensive evaluation process to demonstrate that they have met state guidelines to provide exceptional park and recreation services to their community.

The Warrenville Park District was involved in a detailed, lengthy review process of its general management procedures, finance and business operations, facilities and parks operations, personnel, recreation services, legal documentation and other materials including mission statements, goals and safety manuals.

“Receiving the DAAA has been a goal of the Board of Commissioners and professional staff for a few years and we have worked steadily to attain this professional standards award,” said Warrenville Park District Executive Director Diane Dillow.

“As a team, the professional staff, volunteers, and board members of the Warrenville Park District have achieved recognition as a leader in the field of Park and Recreation in Illinois. We’re proud of our accomplishments, and we vow to continue to serve you to the best of our ability.”

All board commissioners were present at the awards ceremony, which was attended by about 4,500 IAPD/IPRA members.

According to Mike Clark, IPRA Co-Chair of the Joint Distinguished Park and Recreation Accreditation Committee, park districts and their patrons receive many benefits from becoming a Distinguished Agency.

“There are tremendous benefits for an agency that achieves Distinguished Accredited status,” he said. “The agency’s application and review process is an excellent self-evaluation and agencies that apply realize increased operational efficiency and effectiveness. Communities can rest assured knowing that their park district or recreation agency employs qualified professionals and has met professional standards.”