Kim Clymire (far right) stands with his mighty crew of local heroes from the Lake County Parks Department in front of a packed house at the Northshore Business Association meeting. Courtesy photo.

NORTHSHORE – At a recent meeting of the Northshore Business Association, 12 of Lake County’s unsung heroes were honored in front of a full house.

Kenny Parlet, president of the Northshore Business Association, and the entire membership showed their appreciation to the 12 Lake County Park Department workers who have played such an important part in improving the Northshore.

This entire group of fine young men and women, under the leadership of Public Services Director Kim Clymire and Parks Superintendent Dana Smalley, has literally been everywhere working feverishly to improve the entire Northshore area, but particularly on the new, the existing and the expanded county parks.

This amazing crew has been a dynamic force rushing up and down highway 20 tearing down, removing and replacing playground equipment, pulling up, removing and replacing sod. They have been removing, improving and installing rest rooms, along with irrigation systems and have just finished the latest in a series of artistic and functional lighting systems in Nice and Lucerne.

They have worked in conjunction with the Northshore Business Association to remove the old Lucerne welcome signs and just finished the impressive, permanent new ones. The efficiency of this tiny band of committed workers is heroic indeed, and far exceeds normal expectations.

The tiny Triangle Park in Nice has been entirely stripped of weeds and is pristine in appearance. The new Nylander’s Park in Clearlake Oaks has essentially appeared overnight by the hands of this mighty crew, complete with benches, barbecues, tables and the beautiful new sod. The artistry of the park will soon be complete, as the crew surrounds this project with a handsome, rustic stonewall.

What Dana and his crew have done in such a short time is nothing short of miraculous! These men and woman have not only transformed the Highway 20 corridor, but all the while have continued to maintain and improve the other existing 22 or so parks in our county parks system.

The 12 park workers and their leaders Dana Smalley and Don Walsh were all treated to breakfast, given Awards of Appreciation and a small gift for their outstanding and extraordinary efforts.

It is indeed a pleasure to see inspired workers who seem to love what they do, and take so much pride in their work, and get so much done, in so little time.

The honored group of heroes included Parks Superintendent Dana Smalley, Parks Department lead maintenance worker Don Walsh, Bill Chapin, Vince McIntosh, Michelle Rice, Marc Giberson, Javier Batres, Anthony Borba, Brendon Full, Benjamin De Luna, Jennifer Lyon and Thomas Mihalenko.

All of us in Lake County owe these fine people a great deal of gratitude for their incredible efficiency and passion in doing what is required and much, much more!

Kim Clymire, head of the Public Services Department – which includes Waste Management, Buildings and Grounds, Museum, Parks and Recreation and special projects – is very proud of his great staff, and all of us from the Northshore Business Association salute our local heroes from the Lake County Parks Division!

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