Photo by Rhonda Van Pelt
Skyler Beck has a problem. Every time he goes to a park, he sees a fun and interesting new feature and thinks about getting it for Manitou Springs.
Even when the city’s newish parks and recreation director is out having fun with his wife and their four kids, he’s thinking about the city he’s fallen in love with.
“Manitou is very innovative and has a lot of great things going for it. And there’s lots of really cool things out there that people are wanting to do, and there’s been this movement to get kids outdoors more and off screens,” Beck said.
“So I guess I have that in mind when I look for new playground pieces or new park features or something that will kind of draw them in.”
That might mean supplying elements for kids to build new things to play with.
Beck started the job in May, replacing Lynn Johnson. He’s from Iowa and his wife is from California, so Colorado is a good compromise for their family. Plus, Beck grew up skiing Colorado’s slopes.
He has a bachelor’s degree in recreation management from Brigham Young University and a master’s in public administration, local government emphasis, from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He’s also a certified parks and recreation professional through the National Recreation and Park Association.
Along the way, Beck has also worked as an accounting clerk and the parks and recreation management analyst for Council Bluffs, Iowa, and is experienced with handling budgets, overseeing capital projects and writing grants.
Most recently, he was Boulder’s facilities manager and Westminster’s senior management analyst.
“A lot of the jobs I’ve had prepared me in unique ways to be here and accept this position,” he said.
The parks and recreation director oversees 13 parks and the city land surrounding five mineral springs. That totals 30 acres, ranging from the city’s pocket parks to Schryver and Memorial Parks.
In a typical year, he’ll facilitate approximately 60 public events and 40 private events in Manitou’s outdoor spaces. He also manages the Pool & Fitness Center, where he goes every day to talk with staffers.
The pool recently hosted an open house and Beck said more than 20 people stopped by on the weekday morning.
“It was really nice just to talk to people,” he said. “I was expecting people to be frustrated with the closures we’ve had and failing equipment.
“But everyone was very understanding and very kindly asked what they can do to help. They just love their pool and want it back.”
Beck also oversees the skate park, in the 100 block of El Paso Boulevard, which has been tagged with graffiti three or four times just since he started.
“We’re looking at a lot of things to help decrease the vandalism and make it more enjoyable place for people. Staff is really responsive to it,” he said.
He and the staff are also proactive, preparing for large events such as the Commonwheel Labor Day Arts Festival, when Memorial Park’s grass will take a beating for three days.
They’ll make sure the park has the water it needs for strong, resilient grass, without overwatering, which makes it weaker. They’ll also mow, trim grass and trees, pick up trash and ensure it looks nice for visitors.
“Once Commonwheel is over, we’ll come through and aerate and put top dressing on and increase the water times to help it bounce back,” Beck said.
“It probably won’t look the same for the rest of the year. But it’ll bounce back just fine for next year.”
His job includes prioritizing what residents and visitors want and need throughout the year, without overusing the parks and overburdening the city’s limited resources of staff and money.
It helps that so many Manitou residents and business owners are passionate about the local parks. Beck has been able to call on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, the Manitou Pollinators and the Manitou Springs Garden Club for help and guidance.
“I feel a lot of support from the community. People care about their parks, they care about the pool, they care about their walking trails. And we have such great volunteers,” he said.
When he first started, Beck’s focuses included increasing participation in the Adopt a Park program. If you’d like to help, search the city website, www.manitouspringsgov.com, for Adopt a Park.
He’s grateful that locals have been so understanding that it takes a while to get some resources into a particular park or part of the city. Among his goals: planting as many trees as possible, as long as that doesn’t increase fire danger.
“I just like being involved in the community. I think so many people care about their parks. And a lot of people have fond memories of going to the park when they were younger and are now taking their kids,” Beck said.
“A lot of neighborhoods identify where they live by the closest park. So it’s just very much a part of their community. And if I can do a little something to make it a special place, then that’s why we get up each day.”
If you see Beck in a park or walking through town, be sure to say hello. He’s the guy with the goofy socks.