After 30 years of service in municipalities across Metro Atlanta, Tucker Parks and Recreation Director Rip Robertson will be retiring later this month.
Following 12 years of Army service, starting in 1996, Robertson worked in parks and recreation and similar departments in Hapeville, Norcross, and Doraville. He joined Tucker’s parks and rec department at the end of 2017, shortly after the city’s incorporation.
During his nine years in Tucker, Robertson says he accomplished “quite a bit” about which he is proud. He and other members of the department built out recreation programming for seniors, renovated the Tucker Recreation Center, built a youth basketball program, replaced outdated playgrounds at all the city’s parks, added a new sports complex to Fitzgerald Park and a second municipal pool, and improved the city’s hugely popular youth summer camp.
Robertson says his greatest accomplishment, though, is the team that he has built within his department.
“The thing I’m most proud about is the team that I was able to build here and what we were able to accomplish,” he told Rough Draft. “I’ve had some phenomenal team members that have moved on to bigger and better things, so I’m absolutely proud of that… It’s been a very, very big team effort.”
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Robertson’s last day with the department is March 27. In his final weeks, Robertson will lead the team as it completes a park renovation project at Johns Homestead Park.
While he’s excited for retirement and more time to spend with his two grandchildren, Robertson says the occasion is also “bittersweet.” He got emotional while telling Rough Draft that he loved his work and all the friends he made in Tucker.
“It’s been a passion of mine since the day I stepped into the role, and I’m still very passionate about parks and recreation,” Robertson said. “I think it’s probably one of the better career fields in the world. You get to do something that’s a lot of fun, you get to serve a lot of folks.”
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Robertson’s successor has yet to be named. He says they are in the process of interviewing candidates, and the new director is expected to be announced before his final day.
“I’m excited for that individual,” he said. “That person is coming into a great community with a lot of support. The elected officials and the leadership in the city have been fantastic.”
Updates from the Tucker Parks and Recreation department can be found on the city’s website and on Instagram.