The city announced its new parks, culture and recreation director on Tuesday. D. Tyrell McGirt will head up the PCR when current director Jeff Hawley retires in January. Right now, McGirt is PCR’s recreation manager.

City human resources director Kelly Stiles says McGirt was the only internal candidate that the city interviewed for the job. They also had four candidates from out of town. But she says it’s their policy to give priority to people who already work for the city, like McGirt.

"D. is going to be a familiar face, which with PCR is always a plus," she says. "People like to know who their kids are going to be with and who is kind of running the programs for the community."

She says they’re hoping it will be a smooth transition, since McGirt has worked under Jeff Hawley for many years. And he’s filled in as Acting PCR Director in the past.

McGirt says he’s hoping to keep up the work Hawley has done at the helm of the community center. He says he wants to make sure PCR is in line with national standards.

"Our goal is to provide the citizens of Unalaska the best recreational opportunities, as if they were living in the Lower 48 somewhere," he says. "So I want to make sure that our policies are up to date."

One way to do that is by focusing on technology. He says he’d like to introduce more online registrations for PCR programs, and improve their social media connection to the folks they serve.

"We have a lot going on here, and I don’t always feel like the community fully grasps everything that we have to offer the community," he says. "I just want to get all of that information out, any way we can."

McGirt says the search for a new recreation manager will begin once he gets settled in the director job. Jeff Hawley’s last day is Jan. 15. McGirt starts Jan. 16.