...and the relation to Central Park?

He was the Director of Parks for many years

He was an awesome director of parks and rec. Wish he was still there.

Steve Beachy IS the reason College Station Parks are what they are today. Only through his vision and strong fortitude.

A great guy and one who knows how to make parks work. Still in town and involved in emergency response stuff.

Ok, just wondering. Not trying to start anything (PDR). I just never heard of the guy.

He's a great neighbor, too. College Station has a lot to be thankful for in the work he has done for everyone. I do not have the link anymore, but I know he has been written up in professional/trade publications as a positive model for planners.

Steve is one of my favorite people. I haven't seen him lately and hope he is enjoying retirement.

So he's the one we have to blame for there being WAY too many parks in this town?

wapa -

Any problem with the current Director or are you just a huge Beechy fan? I'm just curious based on your comment...

I worked for the City of College Station for 7 years, and consider every day that I got to work with Beachy a pleasure and an honor. He WAS College Station Parks & Rec and any employee of his would say the same. He was the first and only PARD Director in College Station until he retired.

I just started working with the City of Baytown and the Parks Director there asked if I'd worked with Beachy. He told another staff member that when the Pony Express first rolled into Texas, Beachy was on it heading to College Station. Ask anyone who runs parks in any city in Texas who Steve Beachy is and they will tell you he is a legend in their field.

It was a sad day in College Station when he retired. I'm sure the person who replaced him is a good and competent guy who will do an excellent job, but he isn't Beachy.

[This message has been edited by TxElsie (edited 2/18/2009 9:16p).]

Steve was a good Parks and Recreation Director. He and I butted heads when he came up with a users fee of $5.00 for every child that participated in Soccer or Baseball. At that time both the CS Soccer League and the Little League gave "scholorships" to those youths who could not pay. Beachy felt the league's should also pay the $5.00 to the city if the kid could not pay.

We met with City Manager North Bardell and mayor Gary Halter. Halter would not budge and I threaten to fill the city council chambers with hundreds of kids (It would have been a great photo op). Cooler heads prevailed when Bardell (a great City Manager BTW) convinced Halter/Beachy to drop the fee's.

I think Beachy tried to pull a fast one on CS youth sports because he lobbied us very hard to support the bond issue that eventually built the Southwood Athletic Complex. It would have never passed if he would have mentioned the users fee before the election.

PS. Gary, if you read this, I guess you know who BCO is. Please don't blow my cover.

Gary isn't reading this. He's probably putting the finishing touches on a paper he was writing entitled "Why government can run businesses better than the private sector" that he handed me in 2004 in an unrelated committee meeting.

And no, I'm not kidding.

iloveAP...yes, I had a situation arise with the new director while I was planning an event. Might have been just a one time slip up because I have heard he has done well for other people, just wasn't a good experience for me. I planned the same event with Beachy years ago and didn't have problem. And hello to all those Parks and Rec people that read mybcs, I know a couple of you that do.

Steve Beachy is as busy as ever as Chairman of the Brazos Valley Veterans Memorial Board of Directors, among other things. Also on the board is Tony Cisneros, the "new" Director of the Parks and Recreation Department. I have high praise for both gentlemen who happen to have different management styles.

Beachy was a great asset to the City of College Station. He knows how to get things done, and was open to other opinions. He knew how to motivate his staff and maintain morale. During his employment with COCS he kept a list of everyone who left the City, and why - fired, retired, quit, or dead, and from that he could tell you what his odds were that he would depart in any given year. He believes in doing the work, not creating "Departmental Strategic Business Plans". He's a great American, and he throws a great party.