SILER CITY — The Siler City Department of Parks & Recreation has a new director. Former recreation coordinator Tylr Stinson, who planned the Spring Chicken Festival and Easter Eggstravaganza, transitioned into the new role on July 3.
Stinson said it will be a challenge but is excited to get started.
“[I’m] eager to work hard for the community because the community needs it, especially with the growth,” he said. “They need more from Siler City and I’m willing to give them more and work very hard for the community.”
Since becoming recreation coordinator in January 2023, the role has helped him prepare for his position as director.
Being able to lead the organization of the Spring Chicken Festival in particular has helped him better understand and get to know the community and its needs.
While that role required him to look at specific events, programs, certifications and licenses the community needed, he said his role as director will require him to take a few steps back and look at the bigger picture of the department.
His job will have him taking care of athletics, community engagement, town and board meetings, as well as programs, rentals and other events, he said.
Stinson shared some goals he’d like to accomplish as director, one of which is to get the Parks and Recreation Dept. Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) through National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).
According to the NRPA website, CAPRA “delivers quality assurance and improvement to accredited park and recreation organizations throughout the United States by helping them build a comprehensive management system of operational best practices.”
In addition to setting long terms goals, setting smaller benchmarks to meet them would be ideal, he said. He’d also like to see what’s working and what’s not in the department in order to improve upon them.
He said his background working in a retirement community in Winston-Salem prompted him to apply for the role because, through the wisdom that was passed onto him, he wanted to do something he truly enjoyed: getting community feedback and “seeing individuals enjoy life” thanks to events he helped set up.
“That's what fuels me and motivates me to keep doing that,” he said.
Because of his past experience in healthcare and retirement homes, he would like to gear athletics more towards older adults and have more involvement with the Senior Games so the Parks & Rec Dept. can reach all the communities of the town.
One challenge Stinson foresees is working on the master plan for the Parks and Rec. Dept. and getting its information to the community in order to get their feedback, he said.
“We're currently actively working on a master plan for Parks and Rec,” he said. “And looking at in the next 10 to 30 years, having something set in place to carry us as a guideline standard of what we need to offer for the community, especially with the projected growth numbers.”
Town Manager Hank Raper said WithersRavenel is helping the town with the master plan and helping asses the community and its input.
In addition, the Parks and Rec Dept. held a community meeting on June 7 to get input and recommendations from the townspeople to see what their wants and needs are. This meeting welcomed about 20 to 25 people.
Stinson said he is eager to spread awareness about these meetings and links.
The department will be holding two more meetings — dates are yet to be announced — and has a survey link available for the community to fill out at this link in English (https://publicinput.com/b8586) and this link in Spanish (https://publicinput.com/silercityespanol).