KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City, Missouri, Parks and Recreation has a new director after its previous leader retired in July.
Chris Cotten will serve as KC Parks' new director, the department announced Thursday.
Former director Terry Rynard, who'd worked with the department in some capacity since her teenage years, announced her plans to retire earlier this year.
Deputy Director Roosevelt Lyons was appointed interim director by the KC Parks Board of Commissioners in June.
Cotten previously worked for KC Parks while managing the Brush Creek Community Center before a stint in Salina, Kansas, as that city's parks director.
He's served in that role since 2016.
Cotten may have slightly more on his hands with the move to Kansas City, where the parks system includes 221 parks, 10 community centers, 48 fountains and other amenities.
But he has lots of experience to prepare him for the role with 16 years of cumulative experience as a parks director, including in Joplin after the 2011 tornado which destroyed 35% of the city.
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