photo by: Journal-World file photo

Lawrence Parks and Recreation director Derek Rogers is pictured on Friday, July 21, 2017, at South Park.

As a lifelong resident of Lawrence, incoming Parks and Recreation Department Director Derek Rogers is well acquainted with what the department has to offer, as well as its growth over the years.

“I grew up using the amenities of Parks and Rec since I was a small child, and over time it changes what you use,” said Rogers, adding that as a kid he played basketball, later frisbee golf, and is now a frequent user of the Lawrence Loop.

Rogers, 52, a retired colonel, said it’s that experience and his belief that the department should inspire people to lead healthy lifestyles that interested him in the position.

Rogers worked as a program manager and a comptroller with the Kansas Air National Guard, and when he gets started on his new job this month, it will be with an eye toward making the department more financially sustainable. He said the department has expanded a lot over the years, and he wants to assess where it stands.

“So after 70 years of the department doing so much, I think I’d kind of like to look at where we are,” Rogers said. “Because if you don’t know where you are, how are you going to know where you’re going? So I think it’s time to kind of take a pause.”

Newly hired Lawrence Parks and Recreation director Derek Rogers is pictured on Friday, July 21, 2017 at South Park. Rogers, a lifelong Lawrencian, will take over the position on July 31.

City Manager Tom Markus announced on Thursday that Rogers had been named the new director. Rogers, who was one of more than 70 applicants for the job, has 32 years of military service in conjunction with 24 years of federal civil service in the Kansas Air National Guard.

The Parks and Recreation Department finalized its 10-year master plan earlier this year, which outlined financial information on the department’s programs and facilities and collected input from residents about potential additions. Those additions included an outdoor amphitheater, river corridor and downtown plaza, among dozens of other smaller improvements.

“It’s full of great ideas on future growth based on community feedback, but before we consider future growth I think we need to look at how we can sustain our current programs and facilities,” Rogers said. “I think that’s probably the greatest challenge for the Parks and Rec department.”

Specifically, Rogers said he thinks the department can do a better job of creating public-private partnerships and sponsorship opportunities. He also said he thinks the department needs to budget internally for lifecycle maintenance costs so as not to rely on the city’s general funds when infrastructure such as heating and cooling systems break down.

Currently, the Parks and Recreation Department maintains 54 parks, two public pools, three cemeteries, a golf course, trail systems, recreation centers, as well as sports leagues, classes and other activities for children and adults. As an outsider, Rogers said he thinks the department’s greatest asset is the people who work there and expects to spend a lot of time listening to employees to improve the department’s services.

“I think a lot of the great ideas are going to come from within the department and the people that are working out at the rec centers and the community centers,” Rogers said.

Rogers replaces interim director Ernie Shaw, who announced in January that he would retire this summer. In his 40-year career with the city, Shaw worked in various capacities in the Parks and Recreation Department, including as building supervisor and assistant director.

Rogers will begin his position as director of the Parks and Recreation Department on July 31.