HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014 04-03 Ramsey County beat: Parks boss Oyanagi is coming home STAR TRIBUNE -StarTribune
Ramsey County beat: Parks
boss Oyanagi is coming home
Article by:Kevin Duchschere
Star Tribune
April 3,2014-10:18 PM
Ask Jon Oyanagi why he wanted to be Ramsey County's new parks and recreation director,
and hell say:"Number one was that coming home feeling."
Oyanagi,who grew up in Maplewood and now lives in St.Paul,will take over the county's
6,500 acres of parks and rec facilities May 5 when he moves into the department's offices
near Aldrich Arena in Maplewood.He will be paid$137,000 a year.
County Manager Julie Kleinschmidt chose him last week to replace Greg Mack,who is retiring
after 26 years in the job.
"Greg has done a tremendous job building the park system and its amenities,and my job is
about being a good steward of that and looking for ways to improve,"Oyanagi said Thursday.
In many ways,his 30-plus years working in parks and recreation have been directed at
preparing him for this job.
Since graduating from the University of Minnesota,Oyanagi has run the park system in St.
Peter,Minn.,supervised recreation in Eagan,managed operations for the Anoka County's
park system and served as one of three district managers for the Minneapolis Park and
Recreation Board.
For the last six years he has been recreation and parks director for Brooklyn Park,where he
oversaw efforts to build a$400,000 competitive wheelchair softball field—the only one In the
five-state region—and remade the nine-hole Brookland golf course into a user-friendly golf
park with shorter holes,fewer sand traps and more appeal for younger golfers.
During his tenure,Brooklyn Park got its first dog park,added community gardens at the
Eidem farm and Crystal Airport and developed a playground that's handicapped-accessible.
"Jon is an innovative leader who thinks creatively to ensure that he is able to provide facilities
and services that meet the community's needs,"Kleinschmidt said.
Oyanagi said that the parks have a major role to play in closing the county's racial and income
disparities.They offer places where everyone can gather,exercise or simply relax.
"I'm looking forward to serving the residents of Ramsey County,"he said.
0 2014 Star Tribune