Parks and recreation director Dave Tener to step down

CHILLICOTHE - The head of the city's parks and recreation department said Tuesday he intends to retire at the end of next week and is pleased with the progress that has been made throughout his tenure.

Dave Tener, who became parks and recreation director in January 2014, plans to retire Dec. 4 and said he wants to spend more time with his family, including his daughter and two grandchildren who live in California. Tener came to the city after serving as CEO at Ross County YMCA and said he has enjoyed his time working with the city on a number of different projects.

Among those projects, he said, included working with Ross County concerning the Coppel Athletic Complex off Western Avenue and helping improve the Donald M. Smith Memorial Pool in Yoctangee Park.

"It's a great asset to be in the park to the community," Tener said. "It's just an opportunity to provide an asset to a lot of families who don't have a pool in their backyard."

He added that the availability of several amenities in the city such as bike trails, walking paths and other resources should be utilized.

"We've got assets in place. We just need to have the community take advantage of them," Tener said.

The parks system as a whole is also a major draw not only for Chillicothe, but for visitors as well, according to Tener.

"Chillicothe is a regional hub for a lot of activities and that's nice we can draw people in," he said. "We've got a lot of parks and we want them to use them all the time."

He hopes the next individual selected for the position continues to move the city forward, noting that they will have to see what the city's priorities are. Luke Feeney, who is slated to become mayor in January, has not named a person to fill Tener's post, but said a process will be in place to do so in the near future.

Tener hopes to see the Armory Building renovated and reopened so it can be used for different events such as social gatherings, weddings and other matters.

"It's sort of a gem in the middle of the park," Tener said. "Getting it open and finding funding streams to make that happen would be great."

Tener gave credit to the members of the Chillicothe Tree Commission in improving the appearance of the area and said that he has most enjoyed being able to work with others in his role as parks and recreation director.

"It's been a pleasure to work with different people in the community," he said. "We really are here to serve the city and the community."