Responsible Recreation In Parks And Pathways

The McCall Parks and Recreation department has adapted well in the face of change, providing their users with the best service possible

The Wooley Boardwalk is a perfect pathway that connects McCall locals to the natural splendor that surrounds them. Courtesy of the city of McCall

Kurt Wolf has a good view of the old railroad tracks outside his office window. The sky is empty save for the glowing sun and the invisible breeze that sweeps through the forest trees.

The McCall Parks and Recreation’s latest project—the Wooley Boardwalk—doesn’t discriminate based on species

Wolf is the director of the McCall Parks and Recreation department in Idaho. While the pandemic has hit his town hard in recent months, he and his colleagues have been hard at work all spring and summer, ensuring each of their citizens has access to responsible recreation amidst a time of isolation.

“I think we’re seeing that in the recreation industry as a whole—there are a lot of people outside this year. You try and buy anything for mountain biking, camping, or whatever, everything is on backorder,” Wolf says. “We’re also trying to adjust to this change in the recreation industry because of this.”

Many businesses and organizations expected a slow summer as the ongoing pandemic found traction in the rural areas of Central Idaho. But against those expectations, Idahoans flocked to the outdoors in full force.

Wolf and his department were forced to adapt quickly. They had already shifted from the old norm to a home-office model and then to a socially distant split-shift model. Now, with the boom of outdoor activity in Idaho, the team had to respond with a higher priority on maintenance and sanitation.

“It’s funny, I hope that [increased usage] doesn’t change,” Wolf says.

It’s a beautiful day, and Wolf looks out his window and sees countless pedestrians pass by along one of McCall’s numerous pathways; pathways that he has helped create. Despite the pandemic, his department hasn’t skipped a beat. Maintenance work, and construction as a whole, has remained on schedule.

To read more about McCall and Wolf, his full story will be published on McCallLife.com this fall.