As Van Buren Charter Township’s director of recreation, Nicole Gerhart has made it her mission to create meaningful recreational experiences for residents of all ages in the township. From youth sports to community events, Gerhart oversees a variety of programming designed to bring residents together and enhance their quality of life.

“My goal is to ensure that there are opportunities for everyone in the community to engage, have fun and connect,” she said.

Working within the Community Services Department, Gerhart helps coordinate programs, share resources and ensure a seamless experience for residents and members.

She said that behind the scenes, there is a lot that goes into making sure everything runs smoothly. Gerhart handles staff training and scheduling as well as helping to oversee the budgeting program evaluation and community outreach.

“At the end of the day, my job is to take care of the details behind the scenes so when residents and members walk through the doors of the community center or attend an event, they can simply enjoy the experience,” she said.

Gerhart immersed herself in the world of recreation when she was just a child, spending summers at her local park and pool and enjoying the recreation programs in her community.

Little did she know that these childhood experiences would end up shaping her future career.

Originally from the Grosse Pointe area, Gerhart’s passion for recreation grew as she took her first lifeguard job at age 15 and taught swim lessons.

Later, in a full circle moment, she went on to become recreation supervisor, and hired lifeguards whom she taught swim lessons to years before.

“One of the most amazing things about this job is that you get to see participants grow up from when they’re kids and you’re doing programs with them, and then you start working with them as teens, then you start hiring those teens,” Gerhart said.

Since 2012, Gerhart has been an active participant within mParks, the Michigan Recreation and Park Association, and the Northeast Recreation and Parks Association (NERPA), where she served as president, vice president and treasurer.

Her dedication to recreation has not gone unnoticed, and this year Gerhart received the 2025 mParks Recreation Leadership Award, which honors individuals who “constantly made beneficial contributions and exhibited outstanding leadership in the area of recreation programming for at least 10 years.”

Gerhart was nominated for the award by her previous colleagues.

“I didn’t know I was nominated, so receiving the award was incredibly humbling,” she said.

In her current position, Gerhart is proud to oversee the recreation department at the new Van Buren Community Center (VBC), a state-of-the-art facility offering something for everyone in the community.

Located at 46425 Tyler Road, the VBC features a black box theater, elevated walking track, gym, individual and group fitness areas, lounge area, multipurpose rooms, teens and senior center spaces, an outdoor plaza and more.

The brand new, 43,723-square-foot community center opened in June 2024.

Led by the Van Buren Township Community Services team, this transformative project earned the township the 2025 mParks Facility Design Award.

“We are blessed to have such a great team who make all of this possible,” Gerhart said.

For more information about the Van Buren Township Recreation Department, visit www.vbtmi.gov.