Diana Knight was hired as the Town of Carleton Place’s first-ever Director of Community Services, a newly created senior leadership position. She began the role in April of this year. The position was created to bring several community-focused municipal services under a single department and improve coordination across those services.
Knight oversees five major service areas:
Recreation and Culture
Childcare Services
Community Development and Tourism
Property and Projects
The Carleton Place Public Library
She provides strategic leadership for these divisions, manages multi-million-dollar operating and capital budgets, supervises senior managers and the Library CEO, and is responsible for implementing Council’s strategic priorities and long-term master plans. The Town’s Master Parks and Recreation Plan has plenty of recommendations that Knight is managing.
She’s identified five key areas of focus for the remainder of the current council term:
Strengthening policies and procedures by updating legislative frameworks, documentation and project management practices.
Defining programs and services to ensure consistency and alignment across the department.
Investing in staff development through training, leadership development and workforce planning.
Completing major capital projects already underway.
Improving data collection and performance measurement so decisions are based on measurable outcomes and service trends.
Knight says thanks to continuing work, most of the Town’s parks are in excellent condition.
In practical terms, the new Director of Community Services role is intended to ensure that Carleton Place’s recreation facilities, parks, childcare programs, library, tourism initiatives and major community infrastructure projects are planned and managed as one integrated department rather than as separate municipal functions. You can hear our complete conversation with Knight below.
Story by Brian Turner
