Abby Whitt
Contributing writer
The Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Department is celebrating 50 years of serving the community and its neighbors through fun and educational programs and activities year-round.
The Board of Supervisors first allocated funding to establish Parks and Rec as a county department as a part of fiscal year 1975-1976, and to commemorate the department’s milestone anniversary, a video was released online and shared with the Board at its July 14 meeting.
Mitchell Haugh, who has been the Parks and Rec Department Director since 2007, said the board first allocated $68,400 for the department, and now its annual operating budget is about $1.75 million.
The department oversees 90 sports teams, 12 parks and a community pool, Haugh said, as well as 209 programs, including summer camps, hiking trips and more. He noted that one of the department’s first projects was building Mid-County Park, which is now home to the Frog Pond Swimming Pool, disk golf courses, pavilions and the Mid-County Park Activity Center.
Haugh said it’s been a journey with a lot of changes, but “we’re still having fun after all these years.”
Other staff members include Parks and Outdoor Rec Supervisor Brad Buchanan, Athletics Supervisors Ashley Hadidian (Eastern Montgomery and Prices Fork) and Chris Slusher (Auburn), Active Adults/Senior Programs Supervisor Amanda Terry, Aquatics/Community Programs Supervisor Kelsey Delph, and Administrative Coordinator Brandy Moore.
There are also more than 30 part-time seasonal staff and 650 annual volunteers that make department operations possible.
“The volunteers are huge for our department,” Brad Buchanan said. “We have such a large volunteer program. Without that, we wouldn’t be able to touch everything.”
Chris Slusher said that Parks and Rec gives the community an opportunity to put down their devices and be a part of a team, including football, cheer, baseball, softball, basketball and more.
“We’re here to make sure they have a fun and safe environment so they can play a game,” said Ashley Hadidian.
Active Adult and Senior Recreation Supervisor for the county Amanda Terry said her department offers a wide variety of opportunities from “games and crafts to trips and tours” for residents 50 years old and above.
Program participant Barbara Parrish says to “try one. It can be whatever they want to do — Bingo or a float or whatever — try one, and you’ll be hooked.”
The Board of Supervisors also adopted a proclamation to acknowledge the rich history of the department during its July 14 meeting. It reads in part:
“… Over the past half-century, the Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Department has grown to encompass more than 225 acres of public parkland, hiking trails, athletic fields, and recreational facilities, including those for cheerleading, football, flag football, basketball, t-ball, softball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, disc golf, and aquatics at the Frog Pond pool…
“… Montgomery County Parks and Recreation has further enriched the community through a broad spectrum of adult and senior programming, including enrichment activities, and senior wellness initiatives such as arts and crafts, theater excursions, kayaking and rafting outings, social engagements, and the New River Valley Senior Games…”
The proclamation also notes the involvement of the Parks and Rec Department’s “commitment to lifelong learning” through boater and hunter safety courses, CPR training, first aid training, summer camps and swimming training, as well as babysitting certification.
It also mentions the “environmental stewardship” demonstrated through the department’s leadership in the Renew the New campaign.
A full list of current and upcoming events and programs organized by Montgomery County Parks and Rec can be found online at www.montva.com/1/departments-services/parks-recreation.