Grapevine Parks & Recreation Director Doug Evans says council not afraid to spend money on his department

by Minnie Payne

GRAPEVINE — Doug Evans, 55-year-old Grapevine Parks & Recreation Director, wanted to be a part of Grapevine so badly, he applied for his job three times, under three different city managers. He started his present position with the city in 1993.

“I was destined to be here,” he said.

According to Evans, after he graduated from Yankton, S.D. High School in 1970, he joined the air force, getting out in 1974.

“I started to South Dakota State University in 1976, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture and Biological Science in 1982,” he said.

He explains that Agriculture and Biological Science is focused on parks and recreation.

“I worked as a welder in the evening when I first started school,” he said. “Then I got a job in the veterans’ office on campus and also did an internship with the Brookings, S.D. Parks & Recreation Department in 1975.”

There are 63 full-time employees in his department, and while he doesn’t supervise all of them, he is responsible for them, he said.

“Joe Moore is Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation,” Evans said.

According to Evans, he has staff meetings once a week with the assistant director, parks superintendent, recreation superintendent and marketing manager.

“Every week I go out to parks and recreation and community activity centers,” he said. “The Recreation Division is over the senior center.”

Evans said that the department does a “needs assessment survey” about every two years, wherein they not only ask citizens what they would like to see in the parks and recreation system; they also ask them to grade the department.

“As a part of our budget process, we bring recommendations to the council,” he said “The proposed budget for our department that the council is presently looking at is 5 million.

“If there are major budget requests, the city usually has some type of bond election.

“For example, the citizens passed a 1 cent sales tax last November, which will free up approximately 8 million per year for five years for quality of life improvements toward the city.”

He said that he most likes the variety of his job.

“I like being a part of the development of the parks and recreation, plus the maintenance,” he said. “We have a lot to do in the city, so it’s not going to be boring for awhile.

“I love the support of the council, parks board, city management and the citizens.”

Evans said that he feels good about being able to provide services for Grapevine.

“When companies think about locating in a community, parks and recreation is a big factor,” he said. “That’s why our council has not hesitated to spend some money in that area.”

The 1,522 owned or leased acres of parkland within city limits are one of the highest park acres per capita in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, he said. There are 15 hike and bike trails that are linked, and 26 miles of hike and bike trails, all total.

Evans has been married to his wife, Laurie, for 35 years, and they have one son, Ryan.

“When Doug interviewed for the Parks & Recreation Director’s position, he appeared to have the same vision for the Parks Department that I did, and that was shared by our city council,” said Shane Wilbanks, city council member.

“Doug has been a tremendous asset to our community in that he has the ability to accomplish a great deal not only with parks, but in the recreation department. He has brought many new ideas to our community.”