PEOPLE
BY KAREN CHANEY
Ray McDonald III Roanoke director of parks and recreation In high school, Ray McDonald III said he started working in the Euless Parks and Recreation Department because his dad urged him to get a job. After retiring from the city of Euless Director of Parks and Community Ser- vices, McDonald became the city of Roanoke director of parks and recreation in February. He spoke with Community Impact about what drew him to Roanoke and plans he has for the department. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
PARKS AND RECREATION DUTIES Ray McDonald III oversees a department that oversees and helps run multiple activities and venues within Roanoke.
9 parks
Roanoke Skate Park
Community pool Community center Recreation center
Senior center
Adult and youth leagues for softball, basketball and volleyball
SOURCE: CITY OF ROANOKE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
WHEN AND WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO PURSUE A CAREER IN PARKS AND RECREATION? I started working for the parks department in the city of Euless in 1988. Rick Herald, the director that was there, asked me one day at work, “What are you going to do for a career?” I said, “Rick, I have no idea.” He told me to bring a change of clothes to work the next day, so I did. The next day we got off work at 3:30 [p.m.]; I changed clothes; he put me in his car and drove me to the University of North Texas, [and] introduced me to the administration staff of the parks and rec program there. I talked
to them and realized I could make a career of this. I stayed in Euless and worked summers, spring break, Christmas breaks, and commuted from North Texas and worked at the rec center. When I graduated, [Herald] offered me a full-time job. I was in Euless full-time 28 years. I told him at my retirement party from Euless that everything that has happened in my life professionally, I owe it to him. DID YOU PARTICIPATE IN PARKS AND RECREATION ACTIVITIES IN YOUR HOMETOWN? We lived in a little town. … There
weren’t any parks and recreation departments there, but I played in every sport you could play. We moved to the Dallas-Fort Worth area when I was in ninth grade. Still didn’t go to [a] rec center, but still played sports. WHY DID YOU ACCEPT THIS POSITION? I worked with Vicki Rodriquez in Euless. She is the chief financial officer here in Roanoke. When the opportunity came up here, she reached out to me and said, “Would you be remotely interested?” [The
Texas Municipal Retirement System] just passed about two years ago that you can retire from one city, draw your retirement and work for another city. It was too good of an opportu- nity to pass up. I came over during the hiring process and met with the staff and knew when I drove away that I could see myself here. This is a great city with great opportunities. This is a chance to reinvigorate myself with the challenges of coming into a new opportunity. There are lots of projects that I would like to accomplish before I’m done for good.
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