Thank you to Robert “Bob” Davis for 41 years of service with the City of L.A.

After 41 years with the City of Los Angeles, and 5.5 of that as the Superintendent of the Venice Beach Recreation Center, Robert Davis has retired.

On the afternoon of Tues. May 4th, 2021 some of folks who knew or had worked with Bob through the years came out to have a send off ceremony, virus compliant of course. There were kind words said, awards presented, memories shared, cake eaten, and the passing of the guard to new Superintendent Sonya Jimenez.

Bob Davis was a class act, and if there was one through line regarding what people said about him at his retirement party, it was that. He was a fantastic steward for the boardwalk, a great communicator, and an accessible leader. Perhaps the quote that sums it up the most was from Venice Skate Dance Association’s Pamela Pine, who said “Bob cared about the Boardwalk as if it was his own child.”

Bob you will be missed!

Bob was presented with Certificates of Recognition and Acknowledgement from:

The Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, California State Assembly’s Autumn Burke, Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin, and the Venice Chamber of Commerce.

Here is a message from Robert Davis, aka Bob!

Hello All, It has been an honor & a privilege to serve the City of Los Angeles, Department of Recreation & Parks over the past 41 years including the past few years at Venice Beach. I will always remember and appreciate the collaboration we experienced in working together on various projects as well as working together on some very challenging situations and issues. We can only hope that some of those serious issues impacting the beach will continue to improve in the very near future. And to the many of you who offered your thoughtful & kind words and for the nice reception and certificate presentation sending me off into my retirement, THANK YOU!! With my sincerest gratitude & appreciation to all of you. In kindred spirit and with my best wishes always! – Bob Davis Venice Beach Region Superintendent

Here are a few message from his Venice friends!

It gives me great pleasure to wish you a well deserved retirement and may you have great adventures in your next step of life. Working with you was a great and wonderful experience. My only regent was not having more time working together. Well deserved to a good person. Your friend always, Victor Jauregui, Past Venice Beach Supervisor.

Congratulations on your retirement, Bob! Although Friends of Venice Boardwalk is a new group, we’ve been enormously grateful to work with you. You’re a true steward of our treasured Venice Beach boardwalk park. We’re very sorry to see you leave, but your tireless efforts and park improvements will always be remembered and appreciated! – Friends of Venice Boardwalk

Bob Davis has been a wonderful supporter of the Venice Beach Skate Dance Community and especially to the Venice Beach Skate Dance Association in helping us get Skate Dance Plaza re-paved for the 2nd time. We were at loggerheads with the Company that did the first re-paving. There were mistakes; bumps, slopes and the concrete was dangerously slippery. Bob jumped in and called in one of the county’s cement experts and after months of battle, Bob had turned the situation around and I soon received a call telling us the company agreed to do the job over again. He was also instrumental in allowing us to expand the area by approximately 350 feet for safety purposes and was a champion in aiding the process. His seriousness and diligence towards his work and then his unexpected quips of humor made him a pleasure to work with. We wish him the very best retirement and look forward to seeing him back in Venice for a visit with us. – Pamela Pine – Venice Dance Skate Association

Thank you so much for all of the positive work that you have done for Venice Beach all these years. It’s been a pleasure working with you with the Paddle Tennis and Pickleball community. Have a wonderful retirement and I am hoping you take me up on me teaching you Pickleball. Best regards. –Sonia Ode Lucci, Pickleball Coalition Influencer

“Bob, Thank you for partnership with the Venice Beach BID since day one of our operations. Your knowledge and willingness to work together has been a foundation to our success. I will forever be grateful for how you welcomed me coming into the VB BID and came to every one of our walkthroughs. Best wishes on a much deserved retirement.” – Eleni Polakoff, Venice Beach Bid

Bob, I wish you much happiness in retirement, you absolutely deserve it! I hope we will still see you at beach, now without the stress of responsibility, but with the same love of the recreation area as you have always shared with all of us. Congratulations! – Michael Koss. United States Handball Association Ambassador

View photos from his May 4, 2021 Retirement party at Venice Beach Recreation and Parks!

Left: Current Venice Beach Recreation and Parks Superintendent Sonya Young-Jimenez.

Venice Paparazzi’s Alex Stowell and Bob Davis

Venice Dance Skate Association’s Pamela Pine

Right: Chief Park Ranger Joe Losorelli

Right: Venice Skate Park’s Live Cam and Venice Beach Rec and Park’s employee Lance Lemond

Venice Chamber of Commerce’s George Francisco gifts Bob with a light bulb from the Venice Sign. Cool!

Right: Michael Koss. United States Handball Association Ambassador

Past Venice Beach Rec and Parks Victor Jauregui

Past City of LA workers Robert Dunn, Robert Davis, and Victor Jauregui

Chief Park Ranger Joe Losorelli, Venice Dance Skate Association’s Pamela Pine and Kristina Hill, and Venice Pickleball’s Sonia Ode Lucci

Friends of Venice Boardwalk Connie Brooks, Venice Beach Bid’s Eleni Polakoff, and Bob Davis

Top Row: George Francisco, Michael Kos, Robert Dunn, Victor, Bob Davis, Sonya, Lance Lemond, Connie Brooks, Cari Bjelajac, Alex Stowell. Bottom Row: Eleni Polakoff, Pamela Pine, Sonia, and Kristina Hill.