One of the busiest City of Houston employees has historically been its Parks and Recreation Department director.
As 2023 rolls on into the summer months, the person handling the many duties the position entails is Robbie Mortensen.
“There’s a lot that goes into this job,” Mortensen said. “It feels like work the majority of the time, but then other times I get to just sit and watch what I love to do and love to be a part of.”
Mortensen, 21, is a Houston native and 2020 graduate of Houston High School. He initially figured he would enter the dental industry, but changed course and began working as a laborer with Houston’s park-and-rec department in March of 2022 and assumed the director position in February of this year upon the departure of his predecessor, Brandon Maberry.
“All the pieces just kind of fell together,” Mortensen said, “and here I am now.”
Under Mortensen’s watch, the department organizes and oversees competition in five seasonal youth sports, as well as maintaining three existing parks (Emmett Kelly, Rutherford and Westside), the Village and Brushy Creek Trail System, the Municipal Swimming Pool and adjacent Splash Pad, Houston Municipal Golf Course and the Tuttle Soccer Complex.
There is also the fledgling Bridges Park (on West Highway 17), located on land recently donated to the city by a local family. Mortensen said a public forum regarding how to utilize the tract within restrictions set by the donors will take place in the community room at the city pool complex from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 12.
Mortensen is passionate about making sure talent development receives major emphasis in local youth sports.
“I want things to be provided that get kids ready to perform at their highest level in high school and potentially get college scholarships,” he said.
One of the primary challenges Mortensen faces is tackling a huge list of tasks with a limited amount of manpower. He said the city council is addressing that by adding a full-time groundskeeper for the golf course.
Until now, Mortensen and department laborer Steven Westlund have often spent three to four hours a day at the course, watering grass and tending to other needs.
“You’ll see the golf course drastically change when there’s someone out there full time,” Mortensen said. “It’s going to take a lot off of our plate to essentially put more on our plate, but we’ll be able to focus on more things with sporting programs and parks and make a difference in the community, and not just at the golf course.”
In addition to Westlund, Mortensen receives valuable assistance from golf course clubhouse manager Carla Mitchell and swimming pool manager Dakota Burchett.
Mitchell has worked at the golf course clubhouse since August 2021 and became manager in August 2022. She helps coordinate use of the course on a daily basis and organizes tournaments. The course will host eight tournaments in 2023.
“It’s going really well,” Mitchell said. “I love organization and getting things lined out.”
Burchett oversees and puts together schedules for a whopping 27 lifeguards this year.
“It’s gone well,” he said. “It makes my life easier and harder at the same time.”
The pool and the upper portion of the golf course clubhouse are both available for rental. Water aerobics for adults is offered three times a week at the pool, and lap-swim sessions are available weekdays after normal pool hours (except Wednesday).
QUADPLEX PLAN MOVES FORWARD
City officials have for some time discussed the construction of a baseball and softball “quadplex.” Mortensen said there are three properties being considered and that he has spoken with multiple architectural firms about potential designs at each site.
He said a decision on which site will be chosen is forthcoming.
“I think we’re going to decide on some land this year,” Mortensen said.
Mortensen is the department’s 10th director in the past 11 years. He’s well aware of the revolving door effect his position has experienced and has his sights set on changing that.
“I know this department has an unbelievable amount of potential and I want to let people see it.”
ROBBIE MORTENSEN
“I have all the respect in the world for all the directors,” Mortensen said, “because this is a hard job. But when I got into this position, there wasn’t a lot of structure in the department and the director was responsible for too much.”
Mortensen has addressed that situation by successfully campaigning for the golf course maintenance worker and better compensation for the clubhouse manager and pool manager.
“Delegating some things and putting in a more structure into this department has really taken a big load off my shoulders,” he said. “I love Houston and I don’t want to go anywhere. I know this department has an unbelievable amount of potential and I want to let people see it.”
Regardless of workloads or any other factors, Mortensen enjoys what he does for a living.
“That helps a lot for sure,” he said. “It makes the days go by a lot easier, and weeks don’t drag on. Sometimes I’ll work a 14-hour day and I had no idea it was that long.”
Much of the department’s funding comes from a portion of a sales tax approved by voters in 2019 that also benefits the police department and fire department.
The phone number at the Houston Parks and Recreation department is 417-260-1155. Detailed information about every aspect of the department – including sports leagues, fees, swimming pool and golf course opportunities and more – can be found online at the City of Houston website.
