Monday, September 8, 2008

Allen Parks & Rec. Director Tim Dentler oversees busy schedule of events and vast parklands

By Minnie Payne

Allen Parks & Recreation Director Tim Dentler

ALLEN — Tim Dentler feels that team work is important, and he said that he makes a special effort to be a member of the Allen Parks and Recreation team.

“It takes everybody, including our strong leadership, to make it happen,” he said.

Victoria, Texas is the birthplace and hometown the 40-year-old Allen Parks & Rec. Director.

“Dad raised cattle as a hobby, so we grew up in the country,” he said. “I was exposed to agriculture at an early age and loved the outdoors.

“I loved to dabble with all kinds of landscaping and plants, seeing what would grow and what wouldn’t.”

Because his grandmother worked for the Texas A&M Experiment Station in Yoakum, Texas and because she would tell him about the agronomy side of agriculture, he said he became even more enthralled.

“I actually interned with the city of Victoria the first summer that I was off from school and worked for them any time that I had time off over a three-year period,” he said.

Dentler graduated from Stroman High School in 1986 and earned a general studies associates degree from Victoria College in 1988. In 1992, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Landscape Architecture from Texas A&M University.

Immediately following school, Dentler worked as a sales service rep./head estimator for EarthTone Development, Inc. in Houston from 1992-1995 and said that he still uses some of the knowledge he learned from then CEO John Hasenbanks. In 1995, he accepted the position of assistant director, parks and recreation/parks superintendent/park services manager for the city of Allen and remained in that position until 2003, when he was promoted to director of Parks and Recreation.

The present general fund budget for the Parks and Recreation Department is $8.6 million; the special revenue budget is $2.7 million, and the golf course budget is $2.2 million.

“The city council and city manager have always trusted us by providing the resources to have a successful department,” he said.

Part-time and seasonal staff consists of a little over 270 and full time staff, budgeted to work 2,080 hours a year, is 161.

The city of Allen has a little over 1,087 acres of parkland, which includes 38 developed parks.

“All total, if we count greenbelts and facilities that we oversee, there are 58 parks,” Dentler said. “We try to keep the parks as natural as possible to maintain their vegetation.”

There are four recreation centers, including a natatorium. The senior center can seat up to 500 people in theatre-style seating, but can be split up into smaller rooms.

“Seeing families with smiles on their faces is rewarding and makes my job a lot of fun,” he said. “Being in a community that supports recreation and the fact that I get to oversee the development of facilities that as a young child I only dreamed about, is a privilege.”

Citizens are treated to approximately 12 seasonal events, which include the summer concerts series and the Allen USA fireworks program held on the last Saturday of June.

“What we do is impacted by weather, and it’s sometimes difficult dealing with Mother Nature,” Dentler said. “Allen USA” has been disrupted for the last two years.

“With any activity, you have to have a plan ‘B’.”

Dentler said that a lot of people influenced his life, including his father who was chief financial officer of a bank.

“My dad taught me life lessons not only from a financial standpoint, but also with dealing with people in general,” he said.

By cultivating a friendship through working on various community parks and recreation boards over the last 13 years, friend Jim Waldbauer said that he finds Dentler to be a real community leader.

“One thing I really appreciate about Tim is his willingness and good sense of working with a lot of different people and organizations to further the cause of parks and recreation,” Waldbauer said. “Whatever the goal is, he’s always very positive minded about getting things done.”

Dentler has been married to his wife, Elizabeth, for 16 years, and they have a son, Cory, 12.

Related stories

• Pegasus News Week in View: Aaagh-Ike! edition (Sept. 11, 2008)

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