Times of transition can be bittersweet. As is this phase for Sandy Parks & Recreation Director Rochelle Anderholm-Parsch, who recently announced her resignation.

Anderholm-Parsch came to the city of Sandy in November 2021, leaving a position as an aquatic and recreation manager for Oregon City. Her last day will be Wednesday, June 4.

“Rochelle has been instrumental in building our Parks and Recreation department over the last three and half years,” said City Manager Tyler Deems. “Her leadership, professionalism, and character have been so appreciated. Rochelle’s accomplishments, to name a few, include providing incredible programs and services, developing staff, and completing the design and construction of the amazing Cedar Park. While I am so sad to see her go, this move will be great for her personally and professionally.”

Anderholm-Parsch has accepted a position as a parks and recreation director for the city of Faribault, Minn., nearer to her family and where she grew up. She starts there on July 7.

Anderholm-Parsch said she’s enjoyed her past three-plus years serving Sandy, and the 21 years she’s lived on the West Coast. What she’ll miss the most, she said, is the people.

“The camaraderie with the team, including the department heads and the parks and recreation team that we built from the ground up,” she explained. “It’s going to be exciting but sad to see where all of these projects go that we’ve started. But they’re in good hands.”

Deems is working with the city’s HR department to develop a recruitment plan for finding Anderholm-Parsch’s permanent replacement. In the interim, Tiana Rundell, Parks & Facilities Manager, will take on the role of director.

During her time in Sandy, Anderholm-Parsch oversaw the built and opening of the new Cedar Park and Base Camp, which she cites as her favorite project of her tenure.

“It really changed the landscape as far as tourism and as an economic driver for Sandy,” she said. “It definitely is something to be proud of.”

She added that she thinks that project, which was unique for this area and the first of it’s kind on the West Coast, will encourage other smaller communities to dream big, and challenge larger cities to consider what they can and do offer their residents.

That project actually recently won the Top Projects Award from the Daily Journal of Commerce Oregon.

Opening Cedar Park was a milestone in Anderholm-Parsch’s career as the first park she oversaw the creation of as a director.

In Faribault, she will be continuing on the work of someone who served that community for 27 years and is now retiring. She is looking forward to “getting to know the community and learning all of the great things the former director did,” she said.

“I think this move to Minnesota will lead into my retirement,” she added. “I’m looking forward to coming up and charting a path forward for the community of Faribault.”