Kids and adults were boxing, playing soccer, rowing, hitting softballs, doing martial arts, calisthenics, and learning about skating, women’s football, parkour, music, art and a myriad of other activities at the city’s recent Recreation Fair.

Overseeing it all? Jill Lathan, the city’s new Director of Recreation.

“The passion and the commitment that’s in Somerville is absolutely phenomenal. I feel like I have the best and the luckiest job in the world,” Lathan told Somerville Neighborhood News when she had a moment to speak. “This city is incredible; the support I have from not only the citizens but the Mayor’s Office has been phenomenal.”

Lathan, originally from Kansas, comes to Somerville from a post as Director of Recreation Fitness and Intramural Programs at Thomas College in Waterville, Maine. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCWS), Lathan is also a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP), according to City Hall.

Lathan said is excited about her new position, especially she comes just as a task force has turned in a series of recommendations.

“I got a great opportunity,” she said. “The mayor put together a task force to really look at what the needs are for the City of Somerville. And the task force was divided into seven various subgroups and those subgroups met and determined what the priorities and what the needs were.”

Lathan said she has been contacting groups like the Council on Aging and Teen Empowerment and other associations and organizations, to see how to improve programming. According to statistics, she said, the city has been doing pretty well as far as outreach to both girls and boys goes, but she and her department will be working on making sure all of the city’s immigrant communities are also aware of programs and events.

“I’m just fired up. I mean, rock on! We’re going to do a great job!” she said.

To learn more about the city’s programs, go to  http://www.somervillerec.com To learn about the Somerville Recreation Task Force and to read the recommendations, go to http://somervilleresistat.blogspot.com/p/rectaskforce.html.