[Archived] Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Activities To Retire in March

City Press Release


	City of Alexandria, Virginia Office of the City Manager Alexandria City Hall 301 King Street, Suite 3500 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3211 www.alexandriava.gov Telephone: 703.838.4300 Fax : 703.838.6343

Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Activities
To Retire in March

Sandra Whitmore, Director of the Alexandria’s Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities for the past five years, has announced her retirement effective March 5, 2004. Whitmore became department director in September 1998 and oversees more than 300 full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees, 944 acres of parkland, nine recreation centers, and the City marina.

During her tenure as director, Whitmore oversaw many advancements for the department and the City, which include:

! a comprehensive needs assessment and Strategic Master Plan for City recreation and park services adopted by the City Council in 2003.

! a new William Ramsay Recreation Center, which received the Best New Facility Award from the Virginia Recreation and Park Society in 2001.

! the new and renovated Durant Recreation Center and Buddie Ford Nature Center (underway).

! the opening of the City’s first skatepark, located at the corner of Duke Street and Wheeler Avenue.

! substantial improvements in the quality of City parks and athletic fields including Ben Brenman and Armistead Boothe parks, and plans for new and expanded fields at Potomac Yard and Jones Point Parks.

! annual Tree City USA Awards (the 20th in 2003) given to the City by the National Arbor Foundation.

! an initiative to obtain accreditation for the department.

! significant expansion of dog parks.

! a comprehensive Open Space Master Plan, which won a national award, and a new, dedicated funding source for the acquisition of open space (beginning this year, one cent of the real estate tax rate will pay for additional open space).

! twice-a-month Saturday night recreation center parties for middle schoolers.

! a collaborative effort with Arlington County to restore and redevelop the Four Mile Run watershed.

City Manager Phil Sunderland said “I am extremely appreciative of the very substantial contributions Sandra has made over the past five years. The City will greatly miss her keen judgement, her resourcefulness, and solid management abilities, her commitment to the department and her dedication to providing recreation and cultural activities of the highest quality for Alexandrians.” Recruitment for Whitmore’s replacement will begin immediately, he said.

"Working for the City of Alexandria has been exhilarating,” said Whitmore. “I have been able to work with many wonderful professionals and citizens on initiatives that were very important to Alexandria. I promised my family, after taking retirement in Illinois, that I would only work another five years and then devote some much needed time to children and grandchildren. That time has come but the past five years have been wonderful."

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