Commissioner Gary Smith Given High Honors By Mayor Birney

Gary Smith teaching child about trees

July is "Parks and Recreation" month.  During "Special Orders of the Day"  Mayor Birney honored  four citizens for their contributions to the City Parks & Rec.  One of them is a friend of mine, Gary Smith.

Allow me to paraphrase the Mayor's recognition of Gary.

• Parks and Trails Commission (2018 - present) Chair
• Advanced Sustainably pushing forward the East Redmond Corridor.
• ADA stakeholder working to improve access to all users of Parks and Trails
• Green Redmond Forest Volunteer for many years leading and working numerous forest restoration projects. Gary is the Forest Steward at Westside and Idlewood Parks. 
• Gives valuable input on the "Tree Canopy Strategic Plan." 
• Significant contribution to the pond restoration at Smith Woods Park (and project manager of the program honoring the owner who gifted the land.)
• Advocate for fish and fish habitat in and around the City. 

The Mayor praised Gary noting "this only scratches the surface" of his contributions to the City.   A list of posts on Gary's contributions and activities are HERE. 

Gary spoke to the Council and audience after the Mayor's recognition.  He thanked the Parks and Trails commission saying "the commission was his platform for multiplying efforts I might have given."

Gary gave thanks to the "Green Redmond" program kindly saying it was "started by Mayor Rosemarie Ives fifteen years ago."

Gary Smith is a public speaker extraordinaire - intelligent, whitty, powerful voice, emotionally controlled, with great presence.  His likable personality, deep passion for  Redmond's environment and ecology, and long-time commitment to the community makes him very special.  Thank you, Gary.  

-- Bob Yoder, 7/7/2022