A woman who has risen to the top ranks of city hall is retiring after more than 25 years of service.
Joanne Edey-Nicoll, who started working for the city's parks and recreation department more than 25 years ago, is retiring as the city's assistant director of parks, culture and recreation in February. She's planning to join her husband, sister and many friends who are already enjoying retirement.
"It's a great opportunity to start the next chapter of my life and leave things on a high note," she said.
Edey-Nicoll began working for the City of New Westminster in 1986.
"I started as the manager of the Queensborough Community Centre," she recalled. "I was there for about five years, at which time we celebrated the 100th anniversary of Queensborough."
Edey-Nicoll enjoyed a number of positions in the parks and recreation department before being named assistant director 14 years ago.
"It's mixed feelings," she said about retiring. "I am really excited personally. It is hard to leave - I have been so involved with the community. I feel I have made some positive changes for the community and the department."
Edey-Nicoll helped introduce several new initiatives to the city, including offleash dog areas, youth services (which led to construction of the youth centre that's attached to Century House), volunteer services, and arts and cultural services.
Looking back on her career in New Westminster, Edey-Nicoll said that chairing the Olympic Torch committee in 1988 and being a member of the 2010 Olympic Torch committee in 2010 were additional highlights.
Dean Gibson, the city's director of parks, culture and recreation, said Edey-Nicoll has been the face of the department for many community members. He said one of her hallmarks has been her ability to connect with the community.
"She has certainly been a key figure in the department and the community that has helped shape what parks, culture and recreation is about in the city," he said.
Gibson said that much of Edey-Nicoll's 25-plus years with the city was spent in senior leadership roles in the parks and recreation department. He noted that her role evolved as the department evolved, and he credited his colleague for being instrumental in expanding services to include youth and cultural programs.
"She is the ideal co-worker, a great mentor and supervisor," he said. "Certainly a team player and a strong advocate and champion for the city."
While someone of Edey-Nicoll's calibre could easily have moved to another municipality, Gibson said New Westminster was fortunate that she chose to work in the city.
"She is one of those special people who comes along once in a long time," he said.
While Feb. 17 will be Edey-Nicoll's last official day on the job, she'll continue to work on some of the project work associated with the multi-use civic facility until June.
"I have got lots of interests," she said about her retirement plans. "I do a lot of outdoor recreation activities - skiing, kaya-king ."
Edey-Nicoll worked for Port Coquitlam's parks and recreation department for 10 years before joining the City of New Westminster.
"New Westminster is such a great community," she said. "It's been a great, great place to work. Our department has a fabulous culture to work in."
Edey-Nicoll's knowledge and experience in parks, culture and recreation will serve her well in a future endeavour.
"In the fall, I will be teaching a course in the bachelor of recreation management at Langara College," she said. "The degree program is being offered in an online format, so it makes it attractive to people who are employed in the parks, culture and recreation profession because the flexibility gives them the opportunity to continue working while finishing off their degrees."
Local arts promoter Tony Antonias has dealt with Edey-Nicoll regularly through the years on projects such as Canada Day and the city's arts strategy.
"They are going to be hard shoes to fill. She knows the job, she knows the arts, she knows who is who in the arts and culture zoo in the city. She shoots straight from the shoulder. There is no ifs, ands and buts about Miss Joanne," he said. "Ever since I started working with her on Canada Day, I have been so impressed and pleased that she is part of it. She makes decisions. She doesn't hum and haw - that is what you need when you are working with volunteers. She makes decisions pertaining to the event and the politics that go along with it."
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