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Home > Archive > Jan 3, 2008

Leisure Services Department Celebrates 25th Anniversary
When Kent Perkins moved from Delaware 25 years ago to head up the newly formed St. George City Leisure Services Department, the department had 14 employees, four parks, one cemetery, one outdoor pool and one nine-hole golf course.
Since that time, the department has been building one project after another to meet the demands of a rapidly growing city. For example, this year alone, the city is building six new parks.
This month marks the 25th anniversary of the Leisure Services Department. The department had a birthday celebration at its Concert in the Park Series on Sept. 3. That commemoration was the first of 25 celebrations that will take place in the upcoming year.
The actual anniversary date was Sept. 1, as it was on Sept. 1, 1982, that the small department began operating, with the newly hired Perkins in charge.
Today, the Leisure Services Department has 75 full-time employees and 250 part-time employees who oversee the city's 36 parks, 30 miles of trails, cemeteries, art galleries and other recreational facilities.
Perkins and cemetery sexton Terry Schramm are the only employees who have been on-board all 25 years, Perkins said.

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