North Texas Aquatics Association names Plano Parks & Rec Agency of the Year

The City of Plano’s Parks and Recreation Department won two accolades this month from the North Texas Aquatics Association (NTAA).

The NTAA released its awards for the 2022 aquatic season today, with Plano Parks and Recreation winning the 2022 Agency of the Year for its outstanding aquatic venues and the 2022 Program of the Year Award for the Adapted FlowRider classes offered at Jack Carter Pool each summer.

The Agency of the Year award recognizes an agency’s community impact through safety, innovation, quality of life and wellness, and community impact through its programs.

“More than 13,000 individuals benefitted from the Department’s aquatics offerings in 2022, with 86 percent of them being Plano residents,” Smith said. “Working together with our community to improve the health and well-being of all is key to everything we do.”

The Program of the Year Award highlights programs that significantly impact youth and families within a community. Plano’s Recreation Division won for its offering of FlowRider lessons, which allow guests to experience the feeling of surfing. Plano’s Recreation Division has also been recognized for its Sensory Friendly Days for individuals with autism spectrum disorders. 

Plano Parks & Recreation gained its reputation for excellence over the years in large part due to its history of quality aquatic classes, Director Ron Smith said. A top provider for Red Cross Learn to Swim classes, the Department trains thousands of children and adults each year to be safe in, on and around the water, he said.

The NTAA consists of 71 agency members which include 39 North Texas Municipal Parks and Recreation agencies throughout Dallas, Ft. Worth and surrounding neighbors. The North Texas Aquatics Association covers Regions 1 and 2 of the Texas Public Pool Council. 

Region 1 includes panhandle counties Andrews, Archer, Armstrong, Bailey, Baylor, Borden, Briscoe, Brown, Callahan, Carson, Castro, Childress, Clay, Cochran, Coleman, Collingsworth, Comanche, Cooke, Cottle, Crosby, Dallam, Dawson, Deaf Smith, Denton, Dickens, Donley, Eastland, Erath, Fisher, Floyd, Foard, Gaines, Garza, Gray, Hale, Hall, Hardeman, Hartley, Haskell, Hemphill, Hockley, Hood, Howard, Hutchinson, Jack, Johnson, Jones, Kent, King, Knox, Lamb, Lipscomb, Lubbock, Lynn, Martin, Mitchell, Montague, Moore, Motley, Nolan, Ochiltree, Oldham, Palo Pinto, Parker, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Runnels, Scurry, Shackelford, Sherman, Somervell, Stephens, Stonewall, Swisher, Tarrant, Taylor, Terry, Throckmorton, Wheeler, Wichita, Wilbarger, Wise, Yoakum, and Young. 

Region 2 includes North Texas counties Anderson, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Collin, Dallas, Delta, Ellis, Fannin, Franklin, Freestone, Grayson, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Lamar, Marion, Morris, Navarro, Panola, Raines, Red River, Rockwall, Rusk, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zant, and Wood.