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Greg Ruark named new park director for Greencastle
With a background in coaching soccer and running the City of Terre Haute Parks Department for four years, Greg Ruark was named the new Greencastle city parks director Wednesday evening.
His appointment, approved unanimously by the Greencastle Park Board at a special meeting at City Hall, comes four months after longtime director Rod Weinschenk submitted his resignation after 20 years.
Mayor Bill Dory, whose committee of Park Board President Cathy Merrell and City Council members Adam Cohen and Stacie Langdon helped make the recommendation, introduced Ruark by saying he “brings a wide range of skills to the table.”
The 63-year-old Ruark currently resides in Oshkosh, Wis., with wife Jody and their children. He is presently substitute teaching and serving as part-time soccer coach after a stint as women’s soccer coach at Ripon College.
A DePauw University graduate who worked with Tiger soccer coaches Page Cotton and Brad Hauter, Ruark earned his master’s degree at DPU.
He said a son and daughter from his first marriage attended DePauw as well.
“This is a really, really exciting time for me,” Ruark said. “I love parks and recreation. I think I really knew that before I became a parks director in 2004 (at Terre Haute). Those are four of the best professional years of my life.”
Ruark, who has relatives in the Greencastle area, including a grandmother who ran the old Ruark Nursing Home, said, “You don’t go around the world and see a lot of Ruarks, but I’ll get to see some here.
“I consider Greencastle a tremendous opportunity for me,” he said, indicating his game plan includes “enhancing what is already provided.”
Park Board member Peter Meyer asked the new director about any goals for the department.
Indicating that it might be a bit early to determine, Ruark said “as soon as I get here, I’ll dive in headfirst. When I started at Terre Haute, it took two to three months to get to know the people, the employees, what works and what might need some work. It shouldn’t take that long here.”
Saying he understood that the annual Robe-Ann Park Easter Egg Hunt is set for Saturday, April 9, Ruark added, “I look forward to being at that event. That’ll kick things off from the looks of the calendar.”
As far as the future plans for Robe-Ann Park renewal are concerned, Ruark said Mayor Dory drove him through the park and explained what is scheduled.
Robe-Ann “is in such a great location,” Ruark said. “My objective is to get people in the parks. They leave and tell people they were in the park and why they were in the park and other people want to be there, too.
“A mayor once told me, ‘Parks are our billboard.’ I believe that.”
Ruark’s appointment was confirmed on a Park Board motion from President Merrell, a second from Tim Trigg and additional affirmative votes from Meyer and Joanna Muncie.