Your Parks & Recreation Director

Paul Adams heads our Parks & Recreation Department and joined the City team in 2005. Paul is married with two sons and has been a resident of Downey for over 20 years. He is pleased to be serving in a community so close to home.

Paul grew up in Hawthorne, California and was on both the swimming and waterpolo teams in High School. Paul graduated from Long Beach State University with a degree in Recreation while working for several YMCA's and as for the LA County Dept. of Beaches as a lifeguard. He began his professional career as a program director for the Fairfield YMCA in Long Beach and focused most of his early career on Aquatics.

When Paul married his wife Lynn in 1987, they moved to Downey where Paul was a Senior Program Director for the Downey YMCA. When Paul's oldest son was born, he decided to switch to municipal recreation and returned to Aquatics, taking a job as Pool Manager for the City of Carson. Taking a chance on a newly incorporated City that was just starting its recreation department, Paul took a job with the City of Malibu as a Recreation Supervisor. Within two years Paul was promoted to director where he served for another seven years, building an extensive recreation program for the City of Malibu.

Paul is active in the California Parks & Recreation Society and has recieved several awards from that organization in recognition of his work in recreation. He is also active in his community serving on the Committee for Youth and Families at the Downey YMCA and as President of the Waterpolo and Swimming Boosters at Warren High School.

Paul welcomes input and comments from the community and can be reached at (323) 563-5478 or through email at padams@sogate.org.