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Athens covets a lot about Greenville, SC, but Greenville apparently has coveted our Leisure Services director—and now they got her.

Pam Reidy has been named director of the Greenville Parks and Recreation Department and is resigning from ACC Leisure Services effective June 24, Athens-Clarke County announced this morning.

Reidy’s nearly eight-year run has been somewhat controversial. She has overseen the development of the tennis center and a new dog park and playground at Southeast Clarke Park, the acquisition of greenspace off Atlanta Highway and Tallassee Road, mountain bike trails and the splash pad at Trail Creek Park, the boat put-in at Burton Park, the Bishop Park master plan, online summer-camp registration and renovations at Sandy Creek Nature Center, Rocksprings Park, Satterfield Park and the Morton Theatre, among other projects.

On the other hand, citizens have criticized Reidy for an administrative restructuring that critics say de-emphasized trails and nature programs, dodging questions on future plans for the Lyndon House, cutting ties with Tennis for Life and a nigh-indecipherable process for setting fees for Leisure Services programs.

ACC commissioners have hired an outside firm to audit the department and have even talked about breaking it up.

As he did prior to Reidy’s hiring in 2009, longtime Leisure Services administrator Kent Kilpatrick will serve as interim director. County Manager Blaine Williams has not announced a process or timeline for choosing Reidy’s permanent replacement.