At the July 6th city council meeting, Mayor Bob Fox awarded Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation a proclamation officially honoring July 2021 Parks & Recreation month.
The proclamation reads “Our parks and recreation programs are vitally important to establishing and maintaining the quality of life in the City of Cape Girardeau, ensuring the health of all citizens and contributing to the economic and environmental well being of the community and region.”
In the proclamation Fox expressed his gratitude for the department’s ability to contribute to such a wide range of public causes, including the betterment of mental, emotional and physical health, economic prosperity through increased property value, expansion of the local tax base and increased tourism, the attraction and retention of businesses, and crime reduction.
Fox concluded that parks and recreation areas are fundamental in the well being of the community and environment, improving water and air quality, producing safe habitats for wildlife, ensuring ecological beauty and providing a place for children and adults to
connect with nature.
Alongside the new proclamation, Mayor Fox congratulated Julia Jones, Director of the Cape Girardeau Parks & Recreation on her retirement after contributing 40 years to her profession.
Julia Jones started her employment as Parks and Recreation Director in the City of Cape Girardeau, in July of 2011. Under her direction, Jones has been responsible for various successful city-wide plans and projects including the expansion of the Cape LaCroix Trail in Capaha Park, leading a feasibility study to produce a new sportsplex at Center Junction, renovating Southeast Missouri State University’s Capaha Field with a new artificial turf fencing and digital scoreboard, helping guide the first public art policy which has led to the annual Broadway sculpture exhibit and various other cultural and art programs around the city.
At the meeting Jones thanked the city council board members and the parks & recreation team, expressing her gratitude for their hospitality and desire to continue the department’s legacy.
“You can’t imagine how deeply impactful it is to work with a team that cares so much about this city,” Said Jones. “It's the whole city, not just the Parks & Recreation center, but we all work together, and it wouldn't happen unless we all wanted to make Cape Girardeau the greatest place to live, so it's been an honor and privilege and I thank you.”
With Jones retiring alongside the progression of many projects she began, she concluded by expressing her trust and support for the team’s future endeavors.
“I want to finish all the rest of the projects that we've got planned but you've got a great team, they're going to do it, and it's just going to keep getting better and better, and I'll be behind the scenes, maybe cheering them on, and looking forward to that progress,” said Jones.
Several council board members extended their congratulations to Julia during the meeting, with Shannon Truxel, Ward 5, and Dan Presson Ward 1 complimenting her service at outlets like the KCB trucking company and Cape Rock Park, and Nate Thomas, Ward 3 saying there's ‘no denying the amount of progress that the Parks and Rec Department has had while she's [Julia] been here’.
Jones’ final day as Director will be Monday, July 12th.
