Whitefish parks director heads for job in Alaska

The Daily Inter Lake

Whitefish Parks and Recreation Director Dan Keyes has resigned to take a job in Alaska.

Keyes begins work Jan. 21 as the recreation and library services manager for the borough of Palmer, Alaska. His last day on the job in Whitefish is Jan. 8.

"I've always had an interest in going to Alaska," Keyes said, adding that he passed up a job offer in Petersburg, Alaska, many years ago. "I consider it a career move and an adventure."

Keyes began work with the city of Whitefish in September 2000 and has been involved in the completion of numerous parks and recreation projects.

They include the indoor city ice rink, major improvements to the boat ramp at City Beach, a skateboard park, dirt-bike jumping park, a new maintenance building for the parks department, Kay Beller Park, acquisition of the armory to create the Roy Duff Memorial Armory community center, expanded bike trails throughout the city and a proposed dog park.

"We've had a lot of successes," he said. "Everything we do is done by lots of people. I've been able to recognize that energy and focus to get things done. There's so much support in this town."

Keyes' wife, Jody, an administrative assistant for the Whitefish Planning and Building Department, will stay in Whitefish until the couple's youngest son graduates from high school next spring.