Weinschenk resigns as Greencastle park director

Monday, November 8, 2021 ~ Updated 9:08 PM
Rod Weinschenk

Twenty-one years to the day he began as director of the Greencastle Parks Department, Rod Weinschenk will leave the position, he announced Monday night.

Near the end of the rescheduled meeting of the City Park Board, Weinschenk passed out a single sheet of paper that detailed his intentions to resign, effective Nov. 27.

“I want to announce my retirement,” announced Weinschenk, who moved to Greencastle from Iowa to assume the Parks Department leadership role. “I am resigning my position as the director of the Greencastle Parks and Recreation Department.

“I want to thank all of those people who have helped build this department from a single park with 28 acres and offering four programs to the municipal park system it is today with eight parks totaling over 141 acres and offering as much as 75 programs per year.”

Weinschenk was hired under the Greencastle administration of Mayor Nancy Michael and served under city leaders Sue Murray and Bill Dory as well, supervising – among other things – the renovation of the Aquatic Center that reopened last May.

Dory was present at the brief Park Board meeting Monday night at City Hall but offered no immediate comment on a successor to Weinschenk.

“I think we need to say thank you to you,” Park Board President Cathy Merrell said after Weinschenk thanked the board members. “You’ve done a lot for the Parks and Recreation Department. It’s grown a lot under you.”

Weinschenk told the Banner Graphic that he has no plans to leave Greencastle. He and wife Staci are building a house in Whispering Winds, the Jared Grable-designed subdivision on the city’s southeast side.

“My wife and I are taking our life savings and building a house,” he said. “We hope to make it our forever home.”

With his children now grown and on their own, Weinschenk said he and his wife would like to travel and do other things they have not been able to do previously.

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  • Thank you for all you’ve done to improve and maintain our city’s parks over the years to keep them beautiful. Enjoy your retirement, Rod! You and Staci have well deserved it!!

    -- Posted by bcqmom on Mon, Nov 8, 2021, at 9:25 PM
  • It was a good run, Rod. Thank you for all you have done for Greencastle Parks and Recs! Enjoy your retirement!!

    -- Posted by Koios on Mon, Nov 8, 2021, at 9:30 PM
  • Rod, reconsider please.

    -- Posted by Workingthesoil on Tue, Nov 9, 2021, at 1:29 PM
  • Thank you for all you have done to help make the parks a special place for so many families to enjoy.

    -- Posted by ERROR404 on Tue, Nov 9, 2021, at 2:45 PM
  • *

    Thank you, Rod, for all you've done to lift the quality of life for our community.

    -- Posted by Bunny1E on Tue, Nov 9, 2021, at 5:00 PM
  • I love to criticize government, but I offer no criticism of the parks department. Greencastle and Putnam county are fortunate to have so many great park properties.

    -- Posted by techphcy on Tue, Nov 9, 2021, at 6:41 PM
  • Sorry to see you go, Rod. Too few people know the many positive things you've done for the Parks Department. You overcame many obstacles and did your best to uplift all people and maintain fairness. The city is better for having your leadership these many years. May your future be full of blessings.

    -- Posted by tltrigg on Wed, Nov 10, 2021, at 9:09 AM
  • Rod's stewardship of the Parks and Recreation Department has helped the department grow and improved the quality of life for the people of Greencastle. He raised the bar in offering more recreational programming, helped develop more walking/biking trails, acquired more park properties/facilities while ensuring that our parks were well-maintained and park users were treated with respect and kindness. Thank you for coming to Greencastle and making it your home. We have benefited from your commitment to our community.

    -- Posted by Rockypenguin on Thu, Nov 11, 2021, at 5:01 PM
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