Claremont parks and recreation director resigns, city says services continue

Claremont says its parks and recreation department will stay open for business after Director Justin Martin resigned effective May 13, 2026. In a brief statement released May 15, the city said it had already taken administrative steps to handle the transition and had plans in place to keep operations and services moving forward.

The department’s public website now shows the director line as vacant, underscoring the change at a time when parks, fields and recreation programs are becoming more visible to families, athletes and other users across the city. That matters in Claremont because parks and recreation touches youth programs, park maintenance, summer scheduling, permits and reservations, as well as the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center and other public facilities.

The city did not give a reason for Martin’s departure, saying only that the matter involved personnel-related processes and that it would not offer additional comment. The release also did not identify an interim director or explain how day-to-day decision-making is being handled while the department remains without a permanent leader.

Martin’s responsibilities reached beyond routine programming. City procurement documents list him as the contact for projects including ADA bathrooms, tennis and pickleball courts, and a registration software request for proposals, a sign that he had been a key point person on both capital work and administrative systems. That makes the vacancy more than a staffing note; it touches contracting, scheduling and the timing of projects already underway.

Martin also had a long history in Claremont parks and recreation. A city Facebook video from a prior council meeting said he began his career with the department in 2006 as an intern. His public profile with the New Hampshire Recreation and Parks Association identifies him as a Certified Youth Sports Administrator and connects him to staff members Dawn Zombeck, Jaime De Rosa and Shaun LaPlante.

The department’s public-facing role is broad. City materials highlight Arrowhead Recreation Area, Broad Street Park concerts, the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center, the annual Easter Egg Hunt and Reach the Peak, all of which depend on steady coordination and planning.

The Parks and Recreation Commission, which advises the City Council on acquisition, development, improvement, equipment and maintenance of city parks, playgrounds and facilities, meets on the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Claremont Savings Bank Community Center. A meeting posted for May 11 was canceled, leaving the department in a period of transition as the city moves into the season when outdoor recreation demand usually climbs.