Arlington Names New Recreation Director

ARLINGTON, MA — The town recently appointed Joseph Connelly as its next recreation director. In addition to the administrative duties of running the department and managing its staff, Connelly will oversee and implement community recreational and state-licensed preschool and after-school programs.

This includes the operation of the Ed Burns Arena, Reservoir Beach, Gibbs Gymnasium and two spray pools. The director also manages capital projects under the jurisdiction of the Park and Recreation Commission.

"I pleased Mr. Connelly is rejoining Arlington’s management team," Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine said in a statement. "Joe has a proven track record here of providing outstanding, self-sustaining community and recreation programs, plus overseeing complex capital projects. His knowledge of Arlington will be particularly useful as the department, and the Town, as we navigate through the many challenges brought on by COVID-19 and its implications to provide safe recreational programming."

Connelly was selected from a pool of 35 applicants and was the unanimous first choice for the selection team.

"I am happy to return to Arlington," said Connelly, who previously served as Recreation Director from 2006-2016. "I look forward to working with the Arlington community and
Town staff again to provide quality recreational programming."

Connelly has also served as the senior executive director for the Greater Boston YMCA in Woburn and the director of Community Services in Andover.

Connelly has a bachelor of science degree in Sports Management, master of education degree in Athletic Administration from Springfield College and a certificate in Local Government, Leadership, and Management from Suffolk University.