After seven years of working in Denton’s parks and recreation department, Gary Packan decided there was no better time than now to return to Arlington.
Packan took the helm of Arlington’s parks, recreation and culture department Nov. 17. He previously served the department as an assistant parks director from 2007 to 2018.
He made the move north to lead Denton’s parks and recreation department, where he oversaw its 5,500 acre-park system from 2018 through this year.
Having raised his family in Arlington as well as his relationships with local officials and the city’s growth encouraged Packan to return.
“I enjoyed my time working here, working on projects and programs for the community,” said Packan. “(Arlington) has always held a special place.”
As parks director, Packan is responsible for overseeing the city’s 102 parks, six recreation centers, four public golf courses, open spaces, trails, Lake Arlington and other amenities.
Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Packan began his career in public administration when he graduated from Bowling Green State University in 1995 with a master’s degree in recreation and leisure services.
Growing up with a park as his backyard, it was only natural that he’d be a champion for these public spaces, he said.
“That was my life, so it just makes total sense,” Packan said.
He’s held leadership positions in other cities, including Sandusky and Huron, Ohio.
As he begins to again serve the American Dream City, Packan’s goal is to enhance Arlington’s parks and recreational spaces and make them more accessible to the community.
Packan arrives as the city is set to revamp its parks and recreation master plan in 2026, which will outline goals and priorities for Arlington’s natural areas, trails and recreational spaces through the next decade.
While the master plan is still in the early stages of conception, Packan and parks officials are already prioritizing the preservation of natural spaces and wildlife corridors while making room for Arlington’s booming entertainment district.
“We want to make sure that we’re doing our share to preserve and use those (spaces) as educational tools,” Packan said.
He referenced the 2026 World Cup, hosted by the city at AT&T Stadium, as an example of Arlington’s booming entertainment demands. The international event is estimated to bring millions of people to Dallas-Fort Worth.
“Our parks are important as we’re hosting residents in the community, citywide and people from around the world, especially this coming year,” Packan said, referencing the World Cup.
Another area of focus for the parks department is the city’s recreational centers.
For example, the city’s ACTIV recreation center for adults 50 years and older, which opened its doors in March, has gained plenty of favor from senior Arlington residents, Packan said. The center serves about 9,500 members.
“It has been extremely popular,” he said.
Arlington’s parks and recreation department has been recognized at both state and national levels, including being awarded with the Texas Gold Medal Award from the Texas Recreation and Park Society in 2023.
Packan is optimistic about elevating the city’s parks and recreation system at a “high level,” thanks to his passion for natural areas and creative thinking.
“I look at things outside the box and try to develop things that are unique for the community,” Packan said. “I’ll use that as a way to help solve problems and challenges that we’re faced with during course operations.”
Since Arlington rebranded the parks department to include culture in its name and operations, Packan and city officials are also keeping spaces such as the e-sports tournament venue, Arlington Expo Center, top of mind.
“Although we do a lot of things with culture already, now it’s going to be an even higher priority and higher focus for us,” he said.
Parks officials, including Packan, are looking forward to the department’s new master plan to further identify priorities for Arlington’s natural and active areas.
“When we’re going through our master plan, we hope to use that as an opportunity to really focus in and identify where our priorities are and what our strategies are going to be,” he said.
Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at nicole.lopez@fortworthreport.org.
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Great Job Nicole Lopez & the Team @ Fort Worth Report for sharing this story.
