Kirkland has selected Lynn Zwaagstra as the new Parks and Community Services Director. She is scheduled to begin her tenure on May 23.

Zwaagstra currently directs the Campus Recreation department at the University of Arizona, serving some 42,000 students and 15,000 faculty, according to a press release issued by the city.

Previously she was the Recreations Director for the towns of Breckinridge and Frisco in Colorado where she organized community trail running programs and partnered with local businesses to increase community involvement.

She also has experience running recreation programs for military bases and outdoor programs.

“She has energy, passion and a talent for implementing systems while seeing the big picture,” Kirkland City Manager Kurt Triplett said in the press release. “Most importantly, she genuinely cares about the health and well-being of the residents she serves.”

In an interview with the Reporter, Zwaagstra said she focuses both on providing recreation opportunities for residents but also encourages an active lifestyle.

Trails, parks and human resources all coalesce to meet the needs of residents, she said.

“Parks and recreation amenities have proven health benefits,” she said. “I don’t think people really know how much being in nature benefits you physically and emotionally.”

Zwaagstra has Bachelor’s degrees in both Psychology and Recreational Administration from Illinois State University and a Master’s degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism from the University of Utah.

Kirkland’s vision for promoting outdoor recreation, Zwaagstra said, was one the primary reasons she applied for and accepted the position.

“I saw the job announcement and it just really piqued my interest, because Kirkland is known for parks and trails and I was really interested in a community that values recreation and parks,” she said. “I was very interested in being part of a quality program.”

Zwaagstra said she is looking forward to working with the community to develop a parks and recreation agenda, particularly looking into the possibility of a Kirkland aquatic center.

Jennifer Schroder was the previous Parks and Community Services Director. She retired in January after more than a decade working for Kirkland.

The city’s Parks Department is responsible for maintaining more than 550 acres of park land and open spaces and employs around 50 full-time administrative, operations and maintenance staff in addition to some 150 seasonal staff, according to a previous city press release.