Park board welcomes three new members

After months of city council meetings working on the ordinance for Creston’s Park and Recreation Board, the board had their first meeting with five members Sept. 11. Three of the members are new, one replacing Gary Borcherding, who said he’d leave the board once a replacement was found.

The longest-serving member, John Kawa, suggested everyone explain why they joined the board as a form of introduction. Going first, Kawa explained his history with the parks.

“The reason I got on the board is, basically Mark Huff asked me 20-some years ago when I got done coaching little league. He just wouldn’t leave me alone, so I got on the board then,” Kawa said. “We had just gotten done redoing the McKinley Park ballfield at the time and it was time for me to do something else. I just always enjoyed being at McKinley. I got to play there when I was in high school and I got to coach there for 13 years. Everything meant something to me down there.”

Katie Turner has been on the board since January, making her the second longest-serving board member. She explained that while she is still learning, she’s had fun so far.

“I wanted to get on because I’ve always done youth activities, now coaching, whether it’s been volleyball, basketball,” Turner said. “I love the outdoors. We have kayaks, we like to golf, every Sunday I take my kids golfing. Anything outdoors, I love to do.”

In addition, Turner said she joined the board to help improve the services offered.

“I remember when the concessions stand at Bill Sears looked better, and so that’s something I’d maybe like to see. The mural is beautiful, so there are improvements going forward and have been all throughout the years, I’m sure,” Turner said.

While Todd Kinkade is a new park board member, he certainly isn’t new to the board itself.

“I’ve been coming to these park and rec board meetings since I moved back from Arizona in 2008. Went down and watched the very first Party in the Park and decided that I had some things I could contribute to it,” Kinkade said. He’s particulary excited for McKinley Lake to be ready for use again.

“We’ve raised a lot of money for projects and I just want to see these projects be finished, especially the lake. It’s pretty important. I remember being down there as a 4-year-old and we used to have a ski show here every year at McKinley Park,” Kinkade said. “I was 4 years old and I was the youngest person water-skiing out on that lake. That was like 1971, so I’d really like to see my grandkids be able to use that lake again.”

Christie Bristow and Margo Fuller are the newest to the board. Bristow said as a life-long Creston resident, she wants to help more with the city.

“I think all our parks have a lot of potential and our trails have a lot of potential, and I’d like to be a part of that and helping make everything look good and go along with the future stuff,” Bristow said.

Fuller said she gained a deeper appreciation for the parks after her son built the bocce ball court in McKinley Park for his Eagle Scout project.

“We spent a lot of time down there. We live really close to McKinley, so we utilize it a lot,” Fuller said. “We walk our dog down there and the dog park, so I just wanted to help out.”

The board works with newly-appointed park director Rusty Zimmerman, who joined the city in March.

In other park news...

Progress on the draining of McKinley Lake is slow-going. The board said there is likely a back up of material at the valve, and will be looked at this week. Bids to dredge the lake will go up in October.