Pensacola approves selection of new Parks and Recreation director

Pensacola has a new Parks and Recreation Parks director.

The Pensacola City Council unanimously approved Mayor D.C. Reeves' selection of Ben Heistein to lead the city parks department on Thursday.

Heistein came to Pensacola from Dallas, Texas, where he was the park superintendent.

Before that, he was parks manager from July 2021 through March, where he co-managed a $38 million budget with 397 parks and 158 miles of trails that totaled 20,118 acres. Heistein has also served as parks superintendent for Watsonville, California, according to his resume.

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Heistein thanked the council and said he was ready to get to work in Pensacola.

Reeves said he believes the combination of a new leader from the outside and experienced senior staff will lead to success for the department.

'It's a great combination of fresh ideas and fresh blood that's best complimented by years of experience (of the current city staff)," Reeves said.

The Pensacola Parks and Recreation Department operates the city's 93 parks and green spaces, 11 activity centers, two public pools, and the Osceola Golf Course with an $11 million budget.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola Parks and Recreation Director Ben Heistein hired