Longtime Post Falls parks director Dave Fair reviews department growth as he prepares to retire
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Summary
Director Dave Fair delivered a wide-ranging review of the parks department’s growth, finances and challenges at his final commission meeting, citing increases in acreage and programs, concerns about cemetery land, falling volunteer hours since COVID and the need to expand revenue centers.
At his final Parks & Recreation Commission meeting before retirement, Director Dave Fair reviewed three decades of departmental growth and highlighted operational and funding challenges.
Fair said the department grew from six parks and about 157 acres in 1994 to 37 parks and roughly 933 acres today, with program enrollment around 11,000 and attendance hours near 180,000. He noted cemetery activity included 84 services last year and a marked increase in lot sales (112), which he said will likely require the city to acquire additional cemetery land over time. "How you extend cemeteries is with cremations and niches," Fair said, arguing future land purchases may be necessary if the city continues burial services.
Fair also described impacts from the COVID-19 period: attendance hours dropped sharply in 2020 and volunteer hours fell from about 72,000 pre-pandemic to roughly 3,200 in 2020 and have recovered only to about 5,000–6,000. He urged continued emphasis on community engagement, protecting institutional knowledge and pursuing strategic land acquisitions (rail corridor, switch yard, Potlatch property, Hansen tract) to support long-term park planning. Commissioners and staff thanked Fair for his years of service and encouraged support for department staff moving forward.