A passion for parks

COEUR d'ALENE - In 1978, when Doug Eastwood hired on with the city of Coeur d'Alene, there were only eight developed parks.

Eastwood was a landscape gardener back then. Thirty-five years later, the now Ex-Parks Director can take pride in the city's 30 parks, totaling 587 acres, 250 acres of natural open space, more than 30 miles of trails and two cemeteries.

"Over your long tenure, you have superbly led the Parks Department through an era of unprecedented growth and remarkable accomplishment," Mayor Sandi Bloem wrote in a letter congratulating Eastwood on his retirement. "Commendably, you leave behind monumental and enduring quality of life enhancements to be enjoyed for generations."

About 60 of Eastwood's close family and friends turned out to his retirement roast on Friday afternoon at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library.

Jon Ingalls, deputy administrator, officially swore in Eastwood as Ex-Parks Director, as staff helped dress him in Hawaiian attire.

"No one on this planet Earth has more passion for parks than Doug Eastwood," Ingalls said, as he turned over the podium to begin the roast.

Councilman Mike Kennedy told the story of when he first met Eastwood eight years ago.

After getting elected Kennedy went to meet the Parks Department staff; little did he know they were going to pull a practical joke on him.

Kennedy said when he came into their office they were all talking about how they had misplaced two bodies at the cemetery and actually buried them in the wrong grave sites.

"I was just standing there thinking 'great what I have I gotten myself into,'" Kennedy said. After letting Kennedy sweat for a while, Eastwood let him in on the joke.

Almost everyone who spoke on Friday referred to Eastwood's humorous side. They say you can see the wheels start turning in his head, and a tell-tale smirk follows. That's when you know Eastwood is up to something.

Kootenai County Assessor Mike McDowell, who also sits on the Parks Commission and attends the Kiwanis Club, summed it up.

"The wheels start turning and the smile that follows," he said. "We need to get a picture of that and put in the dictionary under the definition of mischief," McDowell said.

Former City Councilman Chris Copstead said he has developed quite a friendship with Eastwood over 25 years. In fact, Eastwood got Copstead into riding bicycles.

They've logged thousands of miles together, but Copstead said one trip will stick with him forever.

He said they had just rode about 140 miles in one day. It was hot out, so they got a little chaffed, he said.

The next day, they had another 60-mile leg to complete, and they glided down a hill in a nice breeze.

"I told Doug the only thing that could make this better is if we could take our pants down," Copstead said. "I was only kidding, but Doug wasn't."

Copstead said he turned around and saw that Eastwood had his pants down.

"That was an image I could have done without," Copstead said.

City Attorney Mike Gridley said when he hired on at the city the former city administrator found out that he rode bikes and warned him to steer clear from Eastwood and Copstead.

"Now, I know why it was probably because he knew you guys were riding naked," he said.

But, Gridley pointed out that it wasn't always fun and games with Eastwood. He said the parks director learned that Gridley had worked for a railroad before hiring on with the city.

That set Eastwood's wheel in motion because he had been trying to work with the railroads on a number of projects. Working with Gridley, he was able to accomplish those.

In fact, Bloem said Eastwood's projects always drew criticism, but he had a knack for handling those situations with grace.

"There is nothing in the city that is more controversial than the work Doug does," she said, adding that after the projects are done, residents seem to treasure the work he does.

She pointed out his work on the Centennial Trail, Person Field and McEuen Field.

"You have set the gold standard for efficiency with the number of parkland acres you have managed per employee and the number of parkland acres maintained per dollar - both substantially below national averages," Bloem said.

Lewiston Parks and Recreation Director Lynn Moss said that Eastwood is not only a gem in the eyes of the local community, but he is respected and will be missed on a regional level.

"He has been a mentor to communities around the region," Moss said, adding that he would help communities secure grant money even when he was competing for the same pot of funding.

Eastwood's staff gave him a bottle of Fireball whiskey, a couple of gift cards and a sign that said "Retired: Don't want to; Don't need to; you can't make me"

Bill Greenwood will be taking over as the interim parks director for the next several months.

"I hope I can do half as well as you have done," Greenwood told Eastwood. "It's not going to be easy following in your shadows."