When Evanston’s city council offered its Early Retirement Initiative last year, 11 of the city’s 12 senior officials left office.
The one who stayed? Doug Gaynor, director of the Parks/Forestry and Recreation Department.
In the aftermath of last month’s election, Gaynor’s 12 years of experience in Evanston will prove valuable for the new city government.
“Doug is that piece of foundation that you can always rely on,” Ald. Lionel Jean-Baptiste (2nd) said. “He will make sure that his division of labor will be taken care of to the max.”
After working in parks and recreation for almost 50 years, Gaynor is recognized nationally as one of the top professionals in the field.
“Doug rose to the top of his profession, and there’s nobody better or more respected than he is,” said Gaynor’s younger brother Steve .
Before coming to Evanston, Doug Gaynor managed parks and recreation in Michigan and California. He was elected president of the Michigan Recreation and Park Association, and the Michigan State Senate and House of Representatives both passed resolutions recognizing his service.
In 1996, Doug Gaynor was elected president of the National Recreation and Park Association, where he oversaw 20,000 professionals nationwide.
His executive secretary of 11 years, Petra Belcher, said she was immediately struck by Gaynor’s passion and initiative.
“Our parks were pretty crappy-looking compared to parks in Skokie and other areas, and he pushed to make sure we got what we needed for this department,” Belcher said, citing Gaynor’s efforts to redevelop Evanston’s parks.
Gaynor has also fought for park initiatives, she said.
“He stands up for the department,” Belcher said. “Sometimes with the budget, things can’t happen right away, so he explains our position and why we need what we need instead of just letting ‘no’ be the answer.”
One of Gaynor’s first major accomplishments in Evanston was securing money from the council to redevelop 25-30 parks in Evanston. He said his biggest contributions have also been upgrading the tennis courts, the Ladd Arboretum and the lakefront.
Born and raised in Detroit, Gaynor received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Michigan Technological University and his Master’s degree in Recreation and Park Administration from Central Michigan University.
Gaynor had no idea he would devote his life to parks and recreation, he said, but when he turned 16, he started working as a lifeguard, which sparked his interest.
After graduate school, Gaynor worked in Michigan before moving to California to work as the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Director, where he managed acres of park land.
“I had to deal with wildfires and wild boar and mountain lion,” Gaynor said. “It was a great learning experience.”
Gaynor eventually moved to Evanston to be closer to his two daughters and three grandchildren who live near Detroit and Minneapolis.
“It wasn’t the weather,” Gaynor said, laughing, on why he came to Evanston. “It was a great opportunity to continue my career in a job that I really love and be closer to my family.”
Despite the long hours and weekends that Gaynor frequently works, he said he still puts family as a top priority, something ingrained in his upbringing.
Gaynor’s three favorite pastimes since high school have been golfing, downhill skiing and fishing, he said. Even now, he works out almost seven days a week, either doing aerobic activity or lifting light weights – emphasis on “light,” he joked.
“They introduced me to golf when I was six years old, and I have not gotten any better since,” Gaynor said.
The most rewarding part of the job has been working with the citizens, he said.
“I’m out quite a bit, talking with folks,” Gaynor said. “It’s really gratifying when you’re out and about, and you see the beaches are full, and people are out enjoying themselves. That’s really a high.”
