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Town stretches rec department

The town will turn one job into two with a reorganization of the Recreation, Culture and Wellness department.
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The town will turn one job into two with a reorganization of the Recreation, Culture and Wellness department.

Chief administrative office Darren Ottaway told town council last week the change means a conversion of a deputy supervisory position into two programmers.

Two manager jobs in a department of four seemed unnecessary, he told councillors.

The change, he said, will allow director Vickie van Ravenswaay more flexibility to spread the workload across more staff and reduce summer part-time assistance and annual overtime.

It comes at a time when the scope of the department’s workload has increased with more events, festivals and programs.

Recreation department staff help volunteer committees to plan, administer, supervise volunteers and co-ordinate with other town department during festivals such as Canada Day, Summerfest, Christmas in Pelham, Pelham Farmers Market, Pelham Suppermarket, and Fonthill Bandshell Concerts.

Recently, it played the key role in co-ordinating Thursday evening activities of the bandshell, suppermarket and farmers market with a new arrangement of evening parking.

The department operates town recreational programs at the arena and parks.