Missoula Parks and Recreation’s Gaukler to Retire After 50 Years

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Donna Gaukler, after nearly 50 years of public service with Missoula Parks and Recreation, has announced her retirement effective in November.

Gaukler was our special guest on Friday during City Talk with City of Missoula Communications Director Ginny Merriam.

Gaukler looked back at her long career serving the city in the Parks Department.

Donna Gaukler was on Talk Back to Announce her Retirement

“I actually started with City of Missoula Parks and Recreation in 1992 as the recreation program manager, and then developed a number of programs,” began Gaukler.  In June of 2003 or 2002 I became director, and it's been a real awesome ride with a lot of support from our public.”

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I brought up the fact that Gaukler has presided over a department that created and built two public pools for Missoula.

Gaukler is Justifiably Proud of her Work with the Parks Department

“I appreciate how you talk about that, because a lot of times people want to talk about infrastructure or land, which is really important, but it's really the results, the outcomes and the impacts on people; the community, the physical and mental health and our social environment, as well as building good stewards of the land forever. That was right on the cusp of moving from ‘recreation’ into my role as director. We did pass a bond in 2003, the general obligation bond that supported a big aquatics project that built Currents Aquatic Center, and Splash Montana and four spray decks.”

Along with Two Pools Gaukler was Also Proud of the Mobash Skate Park

Continuing with water and other modes of recreation, Gaukler mentioned the historic opening of the Mobash Skate Park.

“After the bond passed, we designed it in a year, we built it in another year and a half, and by 2006 in May, we opened four spray decks, all at one time,” she said. “In June, we opened Splash Montana, and in September, we opened Currents Aquatic Center, as well as the Mobash Skate Park, hosting Tony Hawk with over 10,000 people (attending) in the park.”

Gaukler has a special place in her heart for the aquatic centers, because of the universal access available to children, seniors and the disabled.

Gaukler was Especially Proud that the Pools are Accessible to all Abilities

“The thing about the aquatics project that was particularly exciting to me is its aquatic facilities are one of those facilities where they're almost like a library where whether people are going to use them regularly or not, it's part of community pride,” she said. “It's something people want. The other thing I love about aquatics is everybody can do it, regardless of ability, and the thing about Currents is we see most of our ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) spots, for example, parking spots filled every morning.”

Click here to listen to the entire conversation with outgoing Missoula Parks and Recreation Director Donna Gaukler.