Kalispell picks parks, rec director

The city of Kalispell on Thursday announced the promotion of Parks Superintendent Chad Fincher to the position of Parks and Recreation director.

Fincher was hired after a nationwide search and a review of 96 applications during a month-long process. Finalists went through three separate interview sessions.

Fincher succeeds longtime Kalispell Parks and Recreation Director Mike Baker, who retired at the end of last year.

Fincher has been with the city as its parks superintendent since 2008.

Fincher said on Friday that he hopes to nurture new partnerships for improving city parks as well as revive partnerships that have gone idle.

Most recently, the Parks and Recreation Department has again teamed up with a private group called Friends of Lawrence Park to pursue playground improvements at Lawrence Park.

It is a project that will be phased in over three years, with the first phase starting this spring.

Fincher said an example of a future partnership would involve working with the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce to develop a regular event centered in Kalispell. The Chamber has worked to develop the upcoming pond hockey event at Foy’s Lake and the Spartan Race, and Fincher sees potential for something that makes use of city parks and facilities.

Fincher also sees potential for teaming up with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and various civic groups to address deferred maintenance in the city park system.

He said there needs to be an emphasis on taking care of existing facilities rather than investing in additional facilities.

Fincher said he will carry on with much of his predecessor’s accomplishments.

“There’s a lot of good things that Mike did and I don’t wish to change those,” he said. “It’s just to build on the things he left us and branch off into some new areas.”

Fincher represents the city as president-elect for the Montana Trails, Recreation and Park Association. Prior to his job in Kalispell, he was the Parks and Community Services superintendent for Whitefish from 1998 to 2007.

Fincher will manage activities associated with city parks, the Kidsports Complex, a city forestry program, recreation programs, the aquatic facility at Woodland Park, trails and building maintenance.