With more than 40 years working for the city of Santa Maria, Alex Posada still gets a thrill at what the job of Recreation and Parks Department job  brings on a daily basis. 

“It’s really just that every day I come in I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen that day. I know in my mind what I’m supposed to get done that day, and then things just come up,” said Posada, director of the department since 1993.

“If it was a boring job or a job that was repetitive, I probably would have left a while ago,” he said, adding that he and his wife have talked about his possible retirement sometime.

Posada will mark his 30th anniversary of leading the department on Aug. 16, 2023. By far, this makes him the longest-serving department head in the city currently. 

Some may be surprised to hear that Posada has hinted at retirement.

“I said I will not be here forever,” he said, recalling a conversation will colleagues before laughingly adding, “My wife has told me that.”

After growing up the East Bay and attending San Jose State University, he worked for teen programs in San Jose and for the Hayward Area District.  

He had a brief stint working for the Santa Barbara County Social Services Department before returning to the city.

Posada was hired full-time as a recreational specialist in May 1979 at the opening of the Minami Community Center in Santa Maria. He was promoted to recreation supervisor in April 1981, and director in 1993. 

The city now boasts 28 parks, swimming pools and multiple community centers. 

“I think the best part of the job, and probably the proudest part is, when I see people that are now in leadership roles, principals of schools and educators, who used to be rec leaders for me. That’s a pretty gratifying feeling to have,” he said.

Since becoming director, Posada has worked for seven mayors and at least four different city managers.

“Alex has been with us since 1979, which is remarkable, and is by far our longest-serving department director now at nearly 30 years,” City Manager Jason Stilwell said. “He epitomizes public service, and his whole family believes in supporting our growing community. 

“He deflects attention from himself, but he’s deservedly earned recognition awards such as the Robert F. Grogan Public Service Award from the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce. He’s an advocate for recreation for everyone, helps the Kiwanis raise large sums, and is a great mentor.”

Among parks added under his tenure, Santa Maria opened Los Flores Ranch Park, which actually sits approximately 12 miles south of City Hall.

Los Flores has become his favorite among the city’s parks. 

“It’s out in the open, obviously. You have room to roam,” he said. “I think it brought Santa Maria from having the neighborhood park kinds of things to being able to offer the residents another experience without going to the mountains. 

The park at 6271 Dominion Road sits in the Solomon Hills, and covers 1,778 acres and boasts 8 miles of hiking, equestrian and mountain biking trails

“You can go to Los Flores, and you see people horseback riding, hiking, doing the bicycle thing, and be out literally with no one else around you for several hundred yards easily. It gives that other kind of experience,” Posada said. 

Recent efforts have focused on renovating the older parks, with Buena Vista, Oakley, Russell, and Atkinson already done. 

As a Kiwanis Club member, Posada proudly pointed out the organization’s efforts that led to the installation of Santa Maria first inclusive playground, which is at Preisker Park. 

Veterans Memorial Park is the latest being modernized.

“That’s a huge project,” he said. “There’s a real need in that neighborhood to make the park more functional for the neighborhood.”

He enjoys the challenge of creating  parks to serve the residents who live nearby.

Not all new parks come from development. A pocket park on DeJoy Street is in the works on a site that once housed a city utility equipment.

COVID-19 relief funds will allow the city to move forward on the park’s development with plans for completion by the end of summer 2023.

He’s also proudly noted the city has received funding to provide lighting at two sports fields — Adam and Crossroads — to extend their hours of use by 40%.

“That’s what people want — field space is in demand everywhere,” he said. 

Under his leadership and with the help of community members, People for Leisure and Youth or PLAY formed to help raise funds and collect donations for programs and parks. 

“The generosity of the community is what makes Santa Maria, I think, a great place,” Posada said.