Parks boss struck by community spirit

After seven months heading up the city’s parks and recreation department, Karl Cozad says he’s amazed by the generosity, collaboration and grassroots volunteerism here in Whitefish.

“They have a real can-do attitude,” he said. “There’s a lot of camaraderie and an easy-going lifestyle and a lot of support for bettering the community.”

This past spring, for example, an anonymous donor gave the city $5,000 for a new floating dock at City Beach. In August, another anonymous person called about the need for benches at Kiddie Park and donated thousands of dollars to pay for installing them.

“It’s not just verbal support,” he said. “People are willing to invest time, talent and treasure to make this a better community.”

Cozad ticked off a long list of assets recently added to the city’s recreational amenities.

“Parks and recreation is an essential part of any city,” he said. “It plays a key role in the sustainability of a community. People will move to places where recreation exists, and so will businesses.”

Economic studies support this conclusion, Cozad said, and people here recognize the importance of recreation and are willing to put in the effort and money to support it.

“Our new city manager, Chuck Stearns, also recognizes this from his experience in resort towns in Colorado,” Cozad said, noting that the selection process for the new city manager was “intense.”

Cozad, who came here from Pullman, Wash., has worked more than 32 years in parks and recreation management. He said the recreation facilities in Whitefish are “very impressive” for a city with 8,000 people.

“The Wave is a classic example,” he said. “Most towns have to subsidize an indoor swimming pool, which is a burden on communities.”

A citywide parks master plan is needed, Cozad said. It shouldn’t cost too much, he noted, pointing out that cost-saving principles put in place by former city manager Gary Marks are really making a difference now as economic conditions worsen.

Armory Park has the greatest potential for the community, he pointed out. A recently completed master plan for the 25-acre facility includes four softball fields, a soccer field, the skate park, the new bike-jumping park, the Armory building and a proposed five-acre dog park.

“It needs irrigation and restrooms, but Armory Park offers the best potential for investment and return,” Cozad said.

Cozad wants to see more recreational development along Whitefish River, which he calls a “Huck Finn River.” A half-acre site directly across from the new Walgreens, labeled “Canoe Park” on the city parks map, could provide some parking spaces and a landing for kayakers and canoers.

He also wants to rehab the tennis courts in Memorial Park, near the Twins ball field, which have cracked pavement, and the courts at Riverside Park, which have heaved.

“We have eight tennis courts in the city, and they’re used by the high school teams as well as the public,” he said.

The city still owes half the $3.8 million it agreed to pay Park Side Federal Credit Union for Depot Park downtown. Cozad said work on a master plan for the site could begin next spring and be completed by the time the money is due, Oct. 23 next year.

There’s been talk of the city planning department temporarily moving into the former credit union building until a new city hall is built next to the library. Later, it could be remodeled as a tourist information center with much-needed public restrooms.

Cozad is also involved in the 80-mile long A Trail Runs Through It trail project that will eventually circle Whitefish Lake. He helped develop a 10-12 mile long trail with an interpretative center at The Dalles, Ore., for the Lewis and Clark trail along the Columbia River.

“It will take time to develop the trail here,” he said. “The objective is to keep it going, keep it on everyone’s mind, and keep making progress.”

Cozad said a decision is coming on the land exchange between Silicon Valley-entrepreneur Mike Goguen and the state that will provide money to kick-start actual trail construction. A conceptual design for a trailhead near Skyles Lake has been completed, and Cozad expects to see sections of the trail completed within 18 months.

Meanwhile, the citywide trail network is coming together one piece at a time. Essential segments that will address safety concerns will eventually connect downtown to Armory Park, the Smith ballfields and the new trailhead at Skyles Lake.

“We have narrow streets with lots of cars,” he said. “It’s not a distance problem.”