This year Rich Lindsay (MHS ’69) celebrates 50 years with the Edmonds parks & recreation department. Over half-a-century, he’s seen it grow from 22 parks to more than 60. He still loves his work and serving the community he calls home. “I love building parks and solving problems. I love working with the public.”
It all began when Lindsay took a summer job in parks maintenance at age 17. He was a junior at Meadowdale High School and liked working with his hands. After graduating, he took vocational classes where he learned plumbing and mechanics. When a full-time parks & rec job opened, he applied and was hired. Since then Lindsay has held nearly every role in the department, working his way to the top. In 2001, he became Parks Manager responsible for operations, a $4 million budget, and a great team of personnel.
His favorite park, which he helped design, is Hickman Park located on the former site of Edmonds Elementary School. “It’s perfect. Open and safe, and it has a beautiful playground and shelter,” says Lindsay. He’s also proud of the city’s award-winning flower program started in the 1970s by the Edmonds Floretum Garden Club. “I’ve had the pleasure of helping a lot of cities get their flower programs started.”
In the 1980s, Lindsay and his late wife Lana (Vallin) Lindsay (EHS ’62) introduced Santa’s Mailbox near Edmonds’ Log Cabin. They answered letters from thousands of children for over 18 years. “It was so much fun to read their letters. We knew a lot of parents, so we’d call them up and asked what a child did well in a year and included that in the letters. I still believe in Santa Clause.”
One of his passions is nurturing a new generation of park and environmental stewards. He’s partnered with Eagle Scouts on over 100 projects and even hired a few over the years. Each summer, high schoolers employed by Youth Conservation Corps. work with park crews to enhance natural areas.
Lindsay’s commitment to public service has been rightfully recognized. More than a dozen awards decorate his office including employee of the year, the city’s humanitarian award, and the Washington Recreation Park Association’s Ron C. Davis Unsung Hero Award.
During Lindsay's 50th year on the job, Edmonds breaks ground on a two-acre Civic Park this summer and a new community center is being built at the site of the former senior center. After five decades, he still looks forward to Mondays. “I really like my job. By Sunday evening, I’m ready to get back to work.”
