Former superintendent Alix Ogden, left, looks on as Robert F. McMahon receives congratulations on his appointment as the new parks department superintendent in Providence.

The Providence Journal / Andrew Dickerman

PROVIDENCE — Robert F. McMahon, the city’s new parks superintendent, looked at the news release announcing his own appointment and did a double take.

Seasoned veteran, it called him. At 62, and after 22 years as the deputy parks superintendent, McMahon couldn’t really disagree, but the reference immediately made him think of the sports pages — where a “seasoned veteran” might also be described as crafty or wily, all meaning the same thing: old. It was slightly jarring to realize that he was taking on more responsibility at an age when time when most of his peers are in retirement or preparing for it.

“My 8-year-old son, Robert, wondered aloud whether I was too old to become, as he calls it, ‘the big parks cheese,’ ” McMahon said yesterday after Mayor David N. Cicilline announced his appointment in the Roger Williams Park Casino.

McMahon replaces Alix Ogden as the head of the city’s 200 parks employees. Ogden was recently elevated to the post of chief of operations for the mayor. McMahon’s 22 years of experience and his universal recognition as a man who gets the job done made him an easy pick for Cicilline, who made McMahon acting superintendent in March, then decided he was the right fit for the permanent job without conducting a full search.

“Bob McMahon is an outstanding professional who has a keen understanding of what it takes to sustain and improve our beautiful parks system,” Cicilline said.

“He’s played an extraordinary role transforming our neighborhood parks while gaining the trust and respect of employees and residents alike. He is the perfect person to take the Parks Department to the next level of excellence.”

McMahon is known around city government as a man of few words, but he made the most of his moment in the spotlight yesterday.

After Cicilline introduced the new director, the mayor stood near the podium, clearly expecting to reclaim the microphone following a brief statement from the soft-spoken McMahon. Instead, McMahon advised the mayor to take a seat, warning him that this would be a long one, and then delivering a 15-minute address examining park operations, thanking his colleagues and cracking jokes about his age.

“I’ve known you about 17 years and that’s the most I’ve ever heard you say. I hope this isn’t the start of something new, Bob,” Council President Peter S. Mancini joked when it was his turn at the microphone.

In a moment of seriousness, McMahon thanked the mayor and council.

“I’m really honored and humbled at the same time to become the 14th superintendent of the Parks Department,” McMahon said.

McMahon was hired by Mayor Joseph R. Paolino Jr. in 1986 to be deputy parks superintendent. He compared his parks career to that of a longtime triple-A baseball player, one who spends years close to the big time, but makes it to the big leagues only later on in life.

“I’m hopeful that my future career in the Parks Department is a hall of fame one,” he said, referring to Red Sox legend Wade Boggs as one who was called up late and made the most of it.

From 1982 to 1986, McMahon was the first director of Keep Providence Beautiful, the urban landscape group that later became Groundwork Providence. Before coming to Providence, McMahon was a city planner in Cambridge and Brockton.

He holds a bachelor of science degree from Brown University in political science and a master’s degree in city planning from the University of Rhode Island. He is a Navy veteran, who served aboard the communications ship Arlington and later on the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy.

He acknowledged that this would be a tough year for the Parks Department, which will undoubtedly deal with cutbacks in the coming months as the city struggles to get its budget in order.

“We face unprecedented fiscal challenges and the Parks Department will very quickly be learning to do more with less,” he said.

At the same time, there is the frustrating, never-ending battle with litter and graffiti and the need to ensure parks are safe — and are perceived to be safe. McMahon said he knows he will have to rebuild confidence in the safety of Davis Park following two recent shootings there.

But when run right, a park is an oasis in a city and McMahon loves taking care of them.

“It’s incredibly satisfying to watch parks when they work well,” he said.

dbarbari@projo.com