InTucker Magazine

Ask Rip – February 2021

Rip Robertson is the Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Tucker. He brings to the job years of experience in Parks and Rec, as well as Public Works. Rip is a former Military Intelligence Analyst for the U.S. Army and is active with the Army Reserve.

February is always a special month for us here at the Parks and Recreation Department. And that’s especially true on the recreation side. If you think about February – one of our coldest months – it’s not exactly a time to be out soaking up the sun and the amenities in our parks. Now, there are some exceptions to that, including our brand-new dog park at Henderson Park. Make sure to read the Mayor’s note on page 3 to get all the details there. 

But really, February is special because it’s a busy time inside our Tucker Recreation Center. For years, and well predating the City of Tucker’s incorporation, one of the biggest users of the Recreation Center was our community’s seniors. Whether it was for workout classes, bridge games or any number of activities, the Rec Center was one of the main hangouts for Tucker’s older adults. Because of the pandemic, much of that activity has been shut down for almost a year now. The staff and I miss seeing those smiling faces each and every day. But there’s one tradition that we think we can keep going this month, at least with some modifications.

In 2019, we established our first-ever Valentine’s Day Luncheon for Seniors. Couples and singles showed up from all over the City of Tucker and surrounding areas. We had a buffet lunch, live music and dancing. Most importantly, and what left such an impression on myself and my staff, was the laughter, the enjoyment and the new friendships that were forged. We knew immediately that this needed to happen every year. Last year, we held the luncheon for a second time; that was, in fact, the last event we held as a department that we didn’t have to modify in some way because of COVID. This time, it will be modified, but we’re hoping it will still show our seniors how much we love and appreciate them. The staff and I will be delivering a special treat to our Tucker senior facilities, as well as host a drive-through event for our independent senior population. It’s not much, but it’s a token to show how much we care and how much we’re thinking about them.

I also want to give a lot of credit to our staff, specifically Ray Rollins and Joe Stewart, on the success of our Tucker Basketball League. Talk about modifications, due to COVID this year’s league went 3-on-3 with a limited number of spectators. Still, we had more participants sign up than we’ve ever had before, and the competition has been great. I’ve gotten so much positive feedback from parents about the league and the safety measures our staff has taken, that I know we’ve done something right. If you and your family have enjoyed our winter basketball league, I hope you’ll sign up for our spring baseball league. The Parks and Recreation staff shot some promotional videos for the league that you’ll find on our Facebook page (@TuckerParksRec). You’ll learn two things from those videos: first, we are not trained actors and second, this league is all about fun for boys and girls ages 5-12. Get registered at tuckerga.gov/parks today!