Park Agency Spotlight: Huntington Parks

The Indiana Park and Recreation Association had the amazing opportunity to hear about the Huntington Parks and Recreation from its director, Steve Yoder. Please read below to learn more about Steve and Huntington Parks and Recreation!

What is your favorite memory at your park agency?

Over my years with the Parks and Recreation Department I have been fortunate to gain many great memories, from the people that have come and gone, the great staff we have now, to the different events and the people in the community that appreciate what we do. One memory that stands out more than any other is the first time we lit our 30-foot Christmas tree at Rotary Centennial Park. It concluded an event the downtown businesses have, and I wasn’t sure how many people were going to come, heck I wasn’t even sure it was going to work the way it was supposed to. Well with probably 1000 people watching and waiting, including Santa Claus, the tree and music came on without a hitch. The smiles of people of all ages were priceless and it couldn’t have been accomplished without the help of many people, which made it even better.

How does your agency contribute to the community?

We provide quality and fun programs at the direction of our tremendously talented Program Director, Megan Thompson. We provide safe playgrounds, sports courts and a state-of-the-art splash pad provided to the community at no cost to them. We also have an amazing Veterans Memorial that people come from across the nation to see, which is located next to our Sunken Gardens.

What special events is your park agency known for?

We have a variety of events throughout the year that we are always looking to tweak to meet the needs and desires of our community members. Megan has done a fantastic job of keeping citizens engaged and interested in programs such as “Walk a Mile Wednesday”, “Toddler Tuesdays”, “Yoga in the Park”, Scavenger Hunts throughout the trails and parks, DNR fishing days in our parks. It was certainly a challenge during the pandemic to keep things going as far as engagement, but Megan persevered and kept things interesting. Our biggest event though is definitely the Daddy Daughter Dance we present for the community. This is where some of my favorite memories EVER come from. The Huntington Parks and Recreation had this awesome Program Director, Jennifer Hotchkiss, back in the day, she has since moved on to be the Park Superintendent in North Manchester, IN where she is doing amazing things. Anyway, she created what was then a one-night event that daughters and dads alike could get dressed up for and have a special night creating lasting memories together. Before I was even an employee of the parks department, my daughters and I never missed a dance. The foundation was laid for an event that has since grown into something that requires 3 nights to satisfy the needs of the community. Great job Jennifer for getting this event started and turning it into something that many park departments do for their community members to enjoy and to Megan for keeping this fresh and fun every year to keep people coming back!

What do you see for the future of your park agency? What are your goals?

Just like many organizations we want to keep things going the direction they are going, up and exciting. To do so you need to stay ahead of the curve and keep improving. Improving programs, education for the staff (both maintenance and office personal), new amenities for the community to enjoy. Just continually trying to improve our product. This year we will be unveiling the beginning of an arboretum in one of our parks and we are working on a new Master Plan for our parks and trail systems to try and continually see what it is the community wants and desires.

Why do you choose to be a member of the Indiana Park and Recreation Association? How long have you been a member?

I have been a member of the IPRA for I believe 8 years now. At first, I thought it was just something all park departments do so that is why I continued signing up our department. Then after getting acquainted with the organization, I realized what it is actually used for.

How has your experience with IPRA benefited your park agency? What are some of the most rewarding aspects of your membership?

The biggest advantage for us has definitely been the networking aspect of the IPRA. Everything comes from networking. If you need information on playground equipment, reach out to other superintendents in your area. Need educational information, reach out to the office of the IPRA, they always have an answer. For us the best thing is attending the conference. You meet so many people that can lead you in the direction of help that your department needs.

I want to remind people we have the best jobs around. Our jobs are to provide fun things for people to do and to make people happy. Not everyone has this luxury. We can’t make everyone happy but, there are many out there that do appreciate what we do. Appreciate what you have, tell those who you need to tell that you love them daily, and most of all enjoy what you do! - Steve

Want to learn more about Huntington Parks and Recreation? Click here to visit their website.