College Park hires new director of Recreation and Cultural Arts

Native College Park resident Emmanuel Rainey, the new director of Recreation and Cultural Arts, sets his sights on expanding department programs.

Native College Park resident Emmanuel Rainey, the new director of Recreation and Cultural Arts, sets his sights on expanding department programs.

The city of College Park recently appointed Emmanuel Rainey as director of Recreation and Cultural Arts. In his new role, Rainey will manage and oversee programming for the department, which consists of the Wayman and Bessie Brady Recreation Center, Hugh C. Conley Center and Tracey Wyatt Recreation Complex. Additionally, Rainey supervises city parks, the Bill Badgett Football complex and the City Auditorium on Main Street.

His passion became his occupation fourteen years ago when a mentor persuaded him to apply for a recreation leader job at Brady Center, located in College Park. Rainey was later promoted to Supervisor for Tracey Wyatt Recreational Complex. Passionate about his community, Rainey had been coaching and mentoring children in this area for over two decades before beginning his career in local government.

“What I love most about my job is working with kids and our community to help our city thrive,” said Rainey. “I get to create a lasting impact in my neighborhood through a variety of creative programs and initiatives.” After his time at Brady Center, Rainey then worked as supervisor for the Tracey Wyatt Recreation Complex, where he developed programs such as senior fitness classes, youth dance and basketball groups and fitness promotions with nearby hotels.

Now as Recreation and Cultural Arts Director, Rainey hopes to unite his department by combining the three current centers into one cohesive unit for programs. He hopes to bring new, innovative ideas to the current programming and extend classes offered to include more cultural arts such as drawing and music, as well as starting more active senior programs. He also wants to initiate a rebranding of the department as a whole to represent their mission to enhance the livelihood of all ages through cultural arts and recreation.

Information: www.collegeparkga.com.