McALLEN — The city of McAllen hired a new director of parks and recreation to lead the “the growth, expansion and development of the community,” city officials announced via a news release Friday.
Denny Meline, who began serving as interim director for the city’s park and recreation department beginning in May, will now take over the post permanently.
“He stood out amongst a strong pool of applicants based on his understanding of not only parks management and recreation program development, but also, his dedication and passion to the health and wellness of the entire community,” McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez said in the release.
Meline, a Rio Grande Valley native, has over 10 years of experience in planning special events, budgeting and managing the operation of facilities.
During his time with the city, he secured a pay rate increase for softball umpires and aquatic lifeguards, led the city’s humanitarian efforts, assisted Hidalgo County and McAllen I.S.D. with COVID-19 vaccination clinics and established camps and shelters for migrant asylum-seekers.
Before his role as director, Meline served as the department’s deputy director of programs beginning in 2019 and spearheaded the planning, coordination and management of the entire recreation department, which included three community centers, as well as its aquatics and recreation divisions.
He has also worked closely with the McAllen Chamber of Commerce to recruit and host regional and national youth sports tournaments to promote sports tourism and generate an economic impact for the city. He also oversaw the development of a new parks and recreation website, along with revamping the McAllen Marathon webpage “for an updated look and user-friendly interface.”
In light of the pandemic, Meline helped create new services that allowed for safe engagement, including a drive-thru senior meal program that served over 180,000 meals, a senior car bingo, a virtual McAllen Marathon and the virtual McAllen Holiday Parade and South Pole Illuminated Drive.
The new director has worked under the parks and recreation department since 2011 and has worked in several capacities, including recreation supervisor, community center manager, superintendent of athletics and assistant director of operations. He also assisted in developing, planning and executing the Games of Texas, which brought in over 15,000 athletes and 40,000 attendees in two years and generated over $16 million in economic impact.
Before his tenure with the city, Meline worked as a health education coordinator with the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, where he developed, coordinated and implemented a faculty and staff wellness program and delivered state mandated health programs to Texas Education Agency regions.
Now, as director of the McAllen Parks & Recreation Department, he will oversee an operating and capital budget of $14 million and manage 145 employees, 115 seasonal employees and four landscaping contractors.
Meline is also responsible for the maintenance and operation of 1,000 acres of park land, which includes 89 parks and recreation facilities, community-school parks, three community centers, four aquatic facilities, five sport complexes, 34 miles of trails, a 33-acre nature urban site, 11 rentable pavilions, two skate parks, splash pads, lakes and one dog park.
“I am excited at the opportunity to continue with the City of McAllen Parks & Recreation Department where I will be not only helping expand my city’s recreation facilities and opportunities, but also, I will be part of the progress the organization will make… in the quality of life for the citizens of McAllen,” Meline said in the release.
