Camp Whitney, the Joe Brain Children’s Petting Zoo, and Rotary Wheel are nothing new to Caitlin Bailey, but she’ll learn all the ins and outs behind the scenes.
Bailey, a recent University of Manitoba graduate, will be taking over the recreation programmer position at the City of Flin Flon from Aimee Deans.
Deans joined the city in 2001. After 13 years with the city she will be heading west to “live the BC dream” with her husband, Jan.
Deans stepped aside on July 23 as Bailey officially started with the city as the recreation programmer/community hall supervisor.
“It’s exciting to have someone new, young, and full of energy,” said Deans, as she will continue to work closely with Bailey over the next two weeks.
A Flin Flonner herself, Bailey is excited to be back home after four years of university in Winnipeg.
Bailiy finished her schooling with a degree in recreational management and community development, and with this new position will be taking her education and work experience to the next level.
During two summers of her schooling she joined an international development program and worked in Vietnam and then
Costa Rica.
Bailey’s international work leaves her confident in new experiences and challenges.
“I think programming wise and being able to jump into new situations (makes me able to) adapt quickly,” she said.
Jumping in with both feet, Bailey will be responsible for things like Camp Whitney, the zoo, the tourist bureau, and events and programming – which she says she is most looking forward to.
It’s been less than a week, but Bailey already has two programs in the works.
First, she will be bringing back the Flin Flon Parks and Rec Fun Run
in September at the Phantom Lake Golf Course.
Details are still being worked out, but Bailey hopes to see the event run early in the month. Last year, 31 particpants ran in the event in its first year.
Bailey is also working on the Registration Under One Roof, also set to go in September. The event brings local groups who are offering fall programming together to facilitate registration. Anyone wanting to register for the
event can call Bailey at 204-681-7542.
Community committees will be a new venture for Bailey as she’s helped with programs before,
but hasn’t sat on multiple committees.
Like Deans has for the past 13 years, Bailey will sit on committees for In Motion as well as the Bust the Winter Blues Festival and Jumpstart.
Through her work with those committees as well as the work done through the rec office, Bailey hopes to “increase community involvement here.”
“I’ve seen so many successful programs and (I’d like to) carry on with that,” she said.
Being in Winnipeg for four years, Bailey has seen her fair share of different types of programs and she hopes to bring some of them to the Flin Flon area.
“I think people think that because we’re a small town that we can’t do some of the things that we do down (south).”
She hopes to change that sentiment with “more work and community involvement.”
