New county recreation director steps up

By NICOLE CARTRETTE
Staff Writer

Julie Strickland is stepping up to the plate as director of Columbus County Parks and Recreation.

Strickland is the first department head hired by County Manager Bill Clark since he took the lead administrative position with the county earlier this year.

“There were several candidates but based on Julie’s qualifications and her vision for recreation, I felt like she was the best qualified,” Clark said. “It was a difficult decision –we had three good candidates.”

Strickland, 41, of Whiteville, fills the position held by Carol Worrell who retired this month.

“I don’t foresee a lot of drastic changes,” Strickland said. “Everything that’s in place — soccer, volley ball and youth soccer coach camps — are going to continue. Seasonal programs such as the Christmas candlelight walk and Easter egg hunts will continue.

Special needs events and activities will also continue.

“I’m not even going to move my office –I’m going to keep the one I have.”

Strickland said while there is a lot she would like to see happen with recreation in the county, funding limits options.

“We will likely carry on like we have been. With such a small staff and budget constraints it doesn’t leave a whole lot opportunity for change,” she said.

While there may not be a lot of money Strickland is willing to supply plenty of dedication.

Strickland has been a full-time employee of Columbus County Parks and Recreation since March of 1994 but her involvement with county recreation actually began when she was a teenager.

Strickland spent her summers working for Parks and Recreation beginning at age 15.

The 1984 graduate of Hallsboro High school and 1986 graduate of Southeastern Community College has worked under all three of the county’s previous directors, Dempsey Herring, Darren Currie and Worrell.

She earned her associate’s degree in outdoor parks and recreation resources from Southeastern and studied therapeutic recreation at Western Carolina University.

She is highly involved with Dixie Girls softball and eager to see soccer programs in the county expanded to the high schools.

Strickland said the soccer program with the Optimist Club is one of the best programs in the county but in order to keep children involved and achieving their best opportunities to advance, soccer at the high school level is needed.

Strickland said the cooperation with the Optimist Club and recent growth in soccer participation is an asset.

“It’s real nice to have the programs that we have in place. When I was growing up we didn’t have that opportunity,” Strickland said.

She said softball began in the county in the late 1970s but fell to the wayside in later years. In 1999, Strickland said she wanted to see the program revived.

“I started calling people all over the county, forming Columbus County Dixie Youth Softball,” Strickland said. “It started with 15 teams and this year there are 34.”

Today the program celebrates several district and state champions and includes 450 girls from throughout the county.

Strickland does not underestimate the power of sports in building character.

“I just think we need to divert children into positive activities,” Strickland said. “Athletics teach a lot of self skills with teamwork, how to get along with others, and what commitment is.”

Strickland pointed out the rate of childhood obesity is high in the state.

“Children need activities for health reasons and to combat childhood obesity,” she said. “We need to promote the physical activities.”

Despite failing to get the full support of the Board of Commissioners when applying for the grant last year, the recreation department under Worrell was awarded a Parks and Recreation Trust Fund grant from the state to upgrade the Riegelwood park, and add a ballfield and concession stand.

The park, situated on land donated by International Paper, is the only park that the county owns. All others are leased in cooperative agreements or owned by municipalities or the county schools.

Strickland said she hopes to see additional upgrades or facilities in areas expecting growth but is aware of budget constraints.
“We have ball fields being used by T-ball, coach pitch and softball,” she added. More fields would offer more practice, and more opportunities for play, Strickland said.

“If money was not an obstacle we would have facilities like those in other counties,” Strickland explained. “We work off a $500,000 budget –in Brunswick their budget is in the millions. They have land they own and develop.

“We have agreements with land owners. New Hanover does bond referendums for recreation facilities,” she explained. “We just can’t compare apples to oranges.

“In the southern part of the county Old Dock is the only public park,” she pointed out.

Dothan, Pireway and other areas expecting large residential development as public water and sewer becomes available will place a greater need on activities or public parks in those areas, she said.

“Anytime there is residential growth we need to look at recreational growth also,” Strickland said.

She said she would like to see increased participation and opportunities for the western portion of the county also.

Strickland may feel right at ease in her new position but she wants the public to feel at ease with her.

“I have an open door policy; I want people to feel comfortable talking to me if there are issues, positive or negative,” she said.

“Yeah, I’ve had a title change but I am still just Julie and we are all still working at the department for one common cause,” the new director said.

The recreation director, with a salary set at $38,637, oversees a staff of seven who run programs and maintain 26 facilities that include ball fields, parks and other properties.

There are two center directors, one position at Tabor City that is funded in part by Tabor City. The second center director position is at the Riegelwood facility.