Victoria Timm takes pride in city’s progress in new recreation director position

    Continuing on a path that has involved a lifetime of playing, watching and coaching sports, Victoria Timm began work as the Holyoke recreation director March 1.
    The position is new to the city this year. For many years, Holyoke has employed a summer rec director to oversee youth softball and baseball. Following a push from the community to develop more organized recreation programs and the November passage of a new lodging tax to help fund it, the city expanded the role to full time. City recreation is now on track to include much more than summer softball and baseball.
    Timm will work directly with the recreation advisory committee, which is made up of two city council members and five community members. Council members J.C. Peckham and Kevin Scott, along with Sandra Rahe, Bret Miles, Luke Goldenstein, Tom Bennett and Trisha Herman from the community, will be offering guidance and providing insight as to what the community needs from the recreation director.
    “I want to meet the community needs within the means of the budget of the city and with the guidance of the RAC,”  Timm said. In doing so, she will work closely with City Superintendent Mark Brown and Clerk/Treasurer Kathy Olofson, as well.
    Holyoke is already well-equipped with several facilities that can accommodate a number of recreational activities, including the golf course, baseball field and swimming pool. Timm acknowledged that these resources should be utilized as much as possible.
    One of her initial goals is to survey the community to get a better idea of what activities people would like to see added to the calendar. She has some ideas herself but pointed out that what the community wants as a whole is more important than what she would choose herself.
    Already there are some well-established local programs, such as youth soocer, that don’t have the city’s direct support. The goal is for the rec director to work alongside such programs in the future, offering her support as a city employee.
    In addition to providing engaging opportunities for youth and adults, Timm hopes new programs will bring out-of-town visitors to Holyoke, generating revenue for local businesses.
    Timm is a 2008 graduate of Holyoke High School and a 2013 graduate of University of Northern Colorado, where she played basketball. She holds a bachelor’s degree, with a major in communication and a minor in coaching and a master’s degree in sports administration.
    Since returning to Holyoke after college, Timm spent one year working as the assistant athletic director at Holyoke High School and one year as the junior high and high school girls basketball coach.
    She will be putting her education and experience to good use as one of her responsibilities will be hiring and training the coaching staff for existing and future programs.
    Other immediate responsibilities will include creating a budget, taking inventory of what equipment the city already has available, outlining a year-long calendar of activities, managing registrations and keeping the community informed about the recreation opportunities the city has to offer.
    Timm, the daughter of Tom and Tammie Timm, is a Holyoke native and has already worked with many local people in a variety of contexts. As she assumes her new role, she looks forward to meeting and working with even more community members.
    Forward-thinking citizens are responsible for bringing this new position to fruition, and more enthusiastic individuals will be essential in the success of any new recreation programs. Timm encourages community members to get involved as coaches, volunteers, umpires and scorekeepers, and she asks that people please share their ideas and suggestions for the direction of this new program.
    Timm’s office is located at the Peerless Center, and she can be reached at recdirector@cityofholyoke-co.gov or 970-580-3659.