Patti Petitt is the Director of Parks and Recreation for the city of Cleveland. She has worked for the city for 33 years and has been the director for 15 years. She focuses on programming and oversees two community centers and the parks. She loves to play with her dog, Huckleberry, and when she has time off from work she goes to visit her daughter in Asheville, NC.
Patti has a passion for parks and recreation, which first began when her father was the commissioner over the Parks and Recreation and Fire department. Her first job was working summer camps for the parks department at George R. Stuart Elementary School. During college, she began working part time for the Cleveland Parks and Recreation Department and ended up staying on full time. She worked as a secretary and then administrative assistant before becoming the director.
She is currently overseeing two major projects. The renovation of Deer Park and a new park behind Blythe Bower. The renovation is projected to be completed around Labor Day. The new park at Blythe-Bower is going to include two new dog parks, a pavilion, and green space to be enjoyed by the community.
The Parks and Recreation department is also partnering with the Community Foundation to sponsor the “Movies in the Park” events for the summer. Patti wants the department to continue to partner with the community to provide events and make the city enjoyable for its residents and future residents. She is excited for the future improvements of Cleveland and says, “I love the city and it’s been so good to me.”
Patti is pictured in the middle.
