By James Windell
Although the South Haven City Council approved hiring a Community Recreation Director, it wasn’t until June, 2025 that the council approved making it a fulltime position with benefits.
Scott Reinert, South Haven Area Recreational Authority (SHARA) Administrator, thought that it would be late summer before the position was filled.
However, Reinert announced on August 14 that although the process took longer than expected and they had to pivot to a full-time position, “We believe strongly that we have the right person to fill this role and lead our efforts.”
According to Reinert, Chris Van Hekken has been hired to become the first Community Recreation Director.
Van Hekken comes to South Haven from Grand Haven where he has served as the Executive Director of the Northwest Ottawa Recreation Authority since 2019. There, he led the development and implementation of many youth and adult recreational programs, established community partnerships with schools, nonprofits and businesses, spearheaded community fundraising efforts, and secured external funding for recreational programming.
“Many of these initiatives and results are what we hope to accomplish in South Haven,” Reinert said. “At this point in his career, Chris is interested in using his experience to build a recreation program from the ground up – which is exactly what we need!”
In addition to his Recreation Director role, Van Hekken will also be serving as the SHARA Administrator which will ensure common focus and alignment among all recreational stakeholder groups.
Van Hekken graduated with a B.A. in Business Management from Aquinas College and also received his M.A. in Athletic Administration from Belhaven University. He has also served in many athletic positions including Varsity baseball coach at Western Michigan Christian and Grand Haven High Schools, and owner/coach of the Holland Baseball Academy. After serving for many years in the Insurance industry out of college, Van Hekken made a career shift in 2018 towards the recreational leadership path.
“What excites me about this position is the chance to build a program from the ground up and create fresh opportunities for families in South Haven to enjoy,” Van Hekken said. “My goal is to help connect families with recreational opportunities in the parks, green spaces, and facilities that South Haven has to offer. Recreation plays a vital role in every community by serving as a connecting point that brings people together.”
Chris Van Hekken and his wife Jennifer reside in Holland, and they have two adult children, Kaitlyn and Carson. “
“We feel extremely fortunate to have someone of Chris’ background and experience be part of the South Haven community,” Reinert said, “and we are very confident he will have an immediate and lasting impact on our recreational efforts.”
Reinert said that he and Van Hekken would be attending various meetings to introduce him to boards and councils.
“As someone new to the South Haven community,” Van Hekken, who will begin working in his new position on September 2, 2025, said, “I’m eager to meet residents, students, local leaders, and business owners to collaborate and hear their ideas for recreation in South Haven.”
