When Jim Park talked to The Record-Courier two weeks after his first day on the job Aug. 5, 2000, he said he wanted to develop a place between Highway 395 and Chichester Estates that would be a real showplace.
A product of Southern Nevada, who was hired from the Clark County Parks & Recreation Department, Park was living in Pahrump. The green of Gardnerville was a refreshing change from the desert.
As Gardnerville prepares to say farewell to Park after a decade of service, it's enlightening to look down the list of items from Park's inaugural story, checking them off as we're sure he has.
Maintenance building for the town? Check.
Web site that lists the town's meeting dates? Check.
A town motto? Check.
Five-year improvement plan? Check and check.
Gardnerville has changed substantially over the past decade as Park served as its manager, yet it still retains much of its charm.
Improvements not listed in his original look included bringing down the cats-cradle of power lines stretched across Main Street and bringing together residents to help revitalize downtown Gardnerville.
Park earned kudos earlier this year when he turned down a raise.
Oh, and that village green project has turned into Heritage Park, which is home to several annual events in Gardnerville.
As Gardnerville's newspaper, we've appreciated working with Park and wish him the best for his future endeavors.
