O’Fallon City Administrator Mike Snowden has announced the selection of Chris Atkinson as the City’s new Director of Parks & Recreation. Atkinson will begin the role on Monday, October 28. The City’s current Director, Cindy Springer, had previously announced that she will be retiring on November 1, 2019, after a 35-year career with O’Fallon.

Atkinson joins the City of O’Fallon from the City of St. Charles, where he served as the Assistant Director of Parks & Recreation for nine years. Prior to his experience in St. Charles, he worked in the City of Hannibal where he served for six years as the Director of Parks & Recreation. Atkinson has been a Certified Park & Recreation Professional since 2001. He was selected for the Director position in O’Fallon after a nationwide search to fill the role being vacated by Springer.

“We are very excited to have Chris join the City of O’Fallon,” said City Administrator Mike Snowden. “It is certainly bittersweet as Cindy leaves. We are grateful for her lifetime of service to our great city, and you can see her impact across town from the Krekel Civic Center to O’Day Park. As a community we value the parks and programming we provide to our citizens, making this is an integral role for our City. Chris brings his leadership and experience from St. Charles, so he has the foundation of working in a neighboring community of similar values.”

“I am thrilled to join the City of O’Fallon,” said Atkinson. “It’s clear that O’Fallon really is one of the best places to live, work and play, and I’m honored to become a part of that. As excited as I am to bring my experience and enthusiasm to the Parks & Recreation department, I’m also looking forward to learning and growing with this amazing community.

“Having worked in St. Charles, I am well aware of Cindy’s – and the entire department’s – reputation and accomplishments, and I am thankful to have the opportunity to be working with such a great group of people.”