BELEN — Belen welcomes Gregory Coon as the head of the city’s parks and recreation department.
In September, Coon was hired and is excited for the challenge.
“Belen has been a wonderful surprise,” says Coon. “The community is very interested and active in participating in things and it’s been a very welcoming community.”
Jesse Jones | News-Bulletin photo
Gregory Coon, the new parks and recreation director for the city of Belen, says he’s excited to meet the community and bring programs to all ages.
Coon, a military brat, moved frequently due to his father’s military service. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Parks and Recreation Leisure Administration from York College of Pennsylvania.
He previously worked for the Bernalillo County Parks and Recreation Department for 25 years in different capacities. Most recently, he was one of the capital improvements project managers for the county’s parks department.
Prior to doing the capital improvements project management for Bernalillo County, he managed three different community centers for the county.
As the parks and recreation director, Coons will be responsible for the oversight and maintenance of all the parks and the community center in Belen. He is also in charge of the programming within the community center and any special events that take place throughout the year in the Hub City.
“I like to think of it as we’re the one department within the city that puts smiles on people’s faces, or at least we should be,” he said.
Coon has received support from everyone in the city’s parks and recreation department so far. He has had the opportunity to meet many new people and establish new partnerships and collaborations, some of which were already in existence.
He said it’s important for him to maintain these relationships and cultivate new ones as the director.
Unfortunately, it has not been as smooth of a first couple of months as he had hoped coming into the job.
“We’ve had our challenges and hurdles and even a few tears at the same time,” Coon said.
On Oct. 6, Shawn Ammons, the sports coordinator for the Parks and Recreation Department passed away unexpectedly, leaving the community and the department mourning his loss.
“He played a big role in the community center and in the community as a whole,” the new director said.
In his first year as director, Coon said he does not want to make any major changes; he wants to keep things how they are so people know what to expect.
Throughout the year, Coon and his team will be actively engaged in brainstorming and evaluating the events organized by the department. This will enable them to identify areas that require improvement and make necessary adjustments for the next year, ensuring that the events are always top-notch and memorable.
Coons is interested in expanding the program offerings for Belen. While he acknowledges the department does an excellent job offering youth sports activities, he would like to see programs that would appeal to a wider audience and provide activities for people of all ages to enjoy.
The location for the city’s Halloween event is the one thing Coon would like to improve for next year.
“The turnout and the attendance by the public were much more than I expected; it was a super positive, fun event,” said Coon.
Coon enjoys spending his free time with his family. Although he used to coach his children’s basketball and soccer teams, he has taken a step back now that they are in high school. When he has time, he likes to be outdoors hiking or fishing up north at Heron or El Vado lakes.
Jesse Jones lives in Albuquerque with his wife and son. Jesse graduated from of the University of New Mexico twice. This spring, he graduated with a degree in multimedia journalism and, in 2006, he received a bachelor’s degree in university studies with an emphasis in photojournalism. He is a current fellow of the New Mexico Local News Fund.
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April 25, 2024
