Mayor Kasim Reed today announced his appointment of George Dusenbury as the City of Atlanta Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs. For more than six years, Dusenbury served as the Executive Director of Park Pride, a nonprofit volunteer organization dedicated to building civic and corporate support for City of Atlanta parks. In that role, he gained invaluable experience in park and greenspace conservation.
“I am pleased to announce the appointment of George Dusenbury to this very important position,” Mayor Reed said. “The citizens of Atlanta depend on the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs to serve the community by providing clean, safe, family-friendly parks, recreational facilities, programs and cultural experiences. As my Administration works on initiatives such as the Centers of Hope and the Atlanta BeltLine, we need someone with experience, vision, and a strong commitment to public service to lead this department.”
“George Dusenbury has had a distinguished career and brings the right expertise to help the Parks department meet its long-term goals,” Mayor Reed added.
At Park Pride, Mr. Dusenbury and his staff worked with hundreds of volunteers to improve Atlanta’s parks and greenspaces. The organization coordinates more than 15,000 hours of volunteer work in Atlanta parks annually. Park Pride also works with communities to develop conceptual plans through its Park Visioning program. In addition, Mr. Dusenbury built key relationships in Atlanta’s business and civic community to advocate for funding to maintain and increase parks and greenspaces through initiatives such as the Atlanta BeltLine project. He worked tirelessly to encourage municipal and county governments, such as the City of Atlanta and Fulton County, to improve parks and increase greenspace acreage.
“I am honored that Mayor Reed has appointed me to the position of Commissioner for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs,” Dusenbury said. “With the support of City Council, I look forward to working with the Mayor and the rest of his team to fulfill the promise of the Centers of Hope and the Atlanta BeltLine, while building on the tremendous momentum behind Atlanta’s parks and greenspace.”
Prior to working with Park Pride, Dusenbury served as the district director for Congressman John Lewis (D-Atlanta) for eleven years. Dusenbury received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Cornell University and his juris doctorate degree from Emory University School of Law. He is expected to begin in his new position on June 21, 2010, following approval of his appointment from the Atlanta City Council.
About the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs
The City of Atlanta’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs (DPRCA) enhances the lives of residents and visitors by offering programs, services and activities that encourage participation in safe, affordable and enriching recreational activities, leisure services and cultural experiences. The City’s park system consists of approximately 3,754 acres (four percent of the City’s land) inside the city limits, and 209 acres at Lake Allatoona. The parks vary from nature preserves to active city-wide greenspaces. The recreational and cultural facilities vary from small recreation centers to large cultural complexes, such as the Atlanta Civic Center and the Chastain Park Amphitheater.
###
For more information about this and services of the City of Atlanta visit our website at
www.atlantaga.gov or watch City Channel 26