THANK YOU to our Parks & Rec Team

Park Rangers Taylor and Ben and Parks Maintenance Lead Josh

A shout out to THANK the Parks maintenance crew, along with our Park Rangers, for the excellent job they do of keeping George Rogers Park clean and safe, especially during the summer months with all the visitors coming to GRP.

Taylor Forte is new to Parks & Rec and was hired to work part-time at lower Millennium Plaza where people can now access Oswego Lake. The Lake Oswego city parks department has hired and stationed Ranger Taylor at the top of four concrete steps that lead down to the green water of Lakewood Bay. Stop by and say hello to Taylor. When I talked with him several weeks ago and asked him how it was going in this new role, he told me that many neighbors stop by to thank him for the job he's doing. And he said so far the people coming to access the lake have been nice too.

Ben LaBounty is well known (and loved) in Lake Oswego as "Ranger Ben" who oversees the rest of the Parks in town and is often seen at George Rogers. I've heard people say, "Ben should run for Mayor." He knows everyone and is kind and firm about people following the rules at the Parks.

Indira Palmer joined in April of this year and splits her time between being a Park Ranger in the spring & summer months to working in our Natural Areas in the fall & winter months. She has been a great addition to our Park Ranger staff so stop and say hi when you see her out and about in the parks.

Very important to us in the Old Town neighborhood is the team of people who are responsible for park maintenance at George Rogers Park. Kurt did an excellent job for many years and has recently retired. Josh Burgess, who worked on the Parks maintenance team, was recently promoted to take on the job that Kurt did so well for so many years as the is lead for maintenance for George Rogers Park. Be sure to thank Josh and his team of contractors for the excellent job they do keeping the pathways, park and beach area clean. After hundreds of people descend on our beloved George Rogers Park, they clean up the mess. I've heard the maintenance team say when I've stopped by to thank them for cleaning up, "The weekends on hot days the beach is like a concert without a band."

Jeff Munro is the Deputy Director of the Parks & Sports Divisions. The Lake Oswego Parks & Recreation maintenance staff are dedicated professionals who care for over 645 acres of Parks properties at over 36 different sites. Parks provides maintenance for the City's developed parks, natural areas/open spaces, athletic fields, facilities & golf. In addition to park spaces they also care for the Indoor Tennis Center, the Adult Community Center, Charles S Brown Water Sports Center, the Lake Oswego Swim Park, and Luscher Farm Park properties More information here

Kyra Haggart, Park Analyst/Project Manager at City of Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation, has been an excellent "ambassador" to our Old Town Neighborhood to share what's happening with building projects. She's attended two neighborhood Board meetings and was the keynote speaker at our Annual Meeting last October. She led the construction project management for the picnic shelter at GRP and is also leading the planning for the new pathway along the river. Work for that is to begin next summer.

Ivan Anderholm is the Director of Parks & Recreation and reports to City Manager Martha Bennett.

Our neighbors are enjoying the new LORAC, golf course and the outdoor concerts we can walk to at Foothills Park and Millennium Plaza. Plus all the classes and our wonderful farmers market. Thank you to Parks & Rec for all that. We love LO!