After 18 years with the Portland Parks and Recreation Department, Nick Cliche took on the role of Scarborough Community Services director last month. Drew Johnson / Leader

Nick Cliche “wasn’t really looking to make a move” before the position of Community Services director in Scarborough became available.

Starting as an after-school coordinator, Cliche worked his way up the ladder in the Portland Parks and Recreation Department over the course of 18 years, serving as recreation director as of 2022.

“I was very happy in Portland,” Cliche said in an interview on Monday. “I coach high school football in Portland. My wife and I lived in Portland for a very long time.”

But, for a number of convincing factors, Cliche began his new role of Scarborough Community Services director last month.

“Overall what attracted me to the position was the people, the infrastructure that they have here, and being able to make an impact on a daily basis,” Cliche said. “Coming to a town a little bit smaller but active and vibrant was a huge draw for me. The participation rates in Scarborough are incredibly high and, coming from a recreation background, I’ve always loved seeing what they’ve done in the community with special events and programming.”

Scarborough’s parks, trails, beaches and open spaces were also a draw, but the talent and passion of town staff, Cliche said, was what ultimately convinced him to take the job.

“The essential staff here could not be better,” he said. “Their commitment to the community and making an impact on their community is not like you see in every town or city.”

Of 16 applicants for the position, six were interviewed and Cliche quickly rose to the top.

“It came through in the interviews that he’s clearly passionate about the work,” said Assistant Town Manager Liam Gallagher.

Cliche grew up in Vermont but, after attending Thomas College, Maine became home. He took an internship with the Portland Seadogs and then moved to Portland to work as a summer camp counselor.

“I applied for the summer camp counselor job to kind of figure my life out that summer,” Cliche said. “I fell in love with municipal recreation and I ended up staying on that fall with Portland parks and rec … the rest is history.”

Cliche’s passion coupled with his experience and determination to work his way up the ranks in Portland made him an attractive candidate, Gallagher said.

“He’s made a career out of it right out of the gate from school,” Gallagher said. “In 18 years with the city of Portland, he started from the bottom and worked his way up to recreation director. It was very impressive.”

Gallagher said town staff have been impressed with the way he’s jumped into the role. Cliche’s first month on the job has included getting up to speed on the department’s budget with the town preparing to propose the FY26 budget this spring and council meetings and workshops on new beach fees in town.

The greatest challenge the department is currently facing, according to Cliche, is providing enough programming.

“The demand for our programs and the supply that we can provide is difficult,” he said. “Our child care program, for example, whether it be before or after school, year-round or summer care, fills in a matter of minutes.”

That’s a sign of growth in town which the department needs to keep pace with, he said.

“The growth of Scarborough has been incredible in the past few years, so our biggest challenge is trying to meet that growth with programming and parks and open spaces and athletic fields,” Cliche said.

Ultimately, a community center, which has been deemed a want of the community according to recent resident surveys, will go a long way in expanding the department’s ability to keep up.

“I would love to champion bringing the community center to the town of Scarborough. I think it’s something that’s very much needed,” he said.

However, he understands a project to address overcrowding at the town’s schools is the top priority.

“We need to see what happens with that,” he said. “Hopefully, over the course of time, we can reinvest some energy in the great work that was done by Todd Souza.”

Souza, the former Community Services director, along with the town’s Community Services Advisory Committee came forward with a plan for a community center in August. He vacated the role in November to become town manager in Union.

“In the meantime, it’s trying to acquire space for athletic facilities,” Cliche said, “trying to build internally from the staffing standpoint to meet a greater need for the whole community.”

Cliche moved to Saco five years ago with his family: his wife, 6-year-old daughter and two English bulldogs named Ruby and Tito. He enjoys spending time with them, getting outdoors and coaching football in Portland as he’s done for the past 10 years.