Barrington is looking to hire someone who can create new and build on existing leisure-time activities – not just organized sports and recreation -- that appeal to all members of the community.

The part-time position will be known as “director of leisure services,” said Town Manager Peter DeAngelis Jr. It will combine the duties of the retiring recreation director, John Taylor, with a host of new responsibilities.

“It goes beyond the traditional recreation director,” said DeAngelis. “I want to expand on that.”

“We already do a good job of offering sports activities for youth through Little League and Pop Warner and youth soccer,” he said. “The recreation director actually just schedules fields for them.”

“I want someone who can build partnerships and to coordinate with them and other existing providers, such as the schools, and the Community School,” DeAngelis said. “I don’t want to duplicate what is already being done. I’m not trying to replace or duplicate activities.”

DeAngelis sees the leisure services director as “a conduit” to local organizations already offering certain activities. For instance, he said, that person might help to run the annual Memorial Day Parade with the veterans council or coordinate the annual holiday tree-lighting event at Town Hall with the Barrington Business Association.

At times in the past, he said, it seems that the town actually has been at odds with certain organizations. He doesn’t want that to happen anymore.

“I also want to get ready for the new venue at the park at Police Cove,” he said.

The future park has been designed as a “destination” spot for residents as well users of the East Bay Bike Path and other visitors to Barrington.

DeAngelis also sees the leisure services director as pushing for more arts and cultural activities in Barrington that might help to make it a “destination” for visitors and create more “buzz” as a story in the Providence Journal said.

But creating buzz would not be a primary responsibility, he said. Serving town residents with their own activities would come first.

“I don’t want Barrington to be like anyone else,” he said, referring specifically to place such as Bristol or Newport, where many Barrington residents go now on weekends or during free hours for special events.

DeAngelis also wants to “pool existing resources” without spending more than is budgeted already for the recreation director – about $25,000 a year as a base salary.

“I think we can do this without expanding the budget,” he said.

Approximately 30 people have applied for the position as of Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 21, with three candidates interviewed so far, DeAngelis said.

“The search will remain open until the position is filled,” he said.

But DeAngelis would like to have someone on board by early September. Taylor’s last day is Aug. 31.

The leisure services director would continue to work closely with the Parks and Recreation Commission, DeAngelis said. That relationship would not change.

MariAnn Oliveira, Barrington’s part-time human resources manager, is handling applications. Send them to her at the Town Hall.