Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Scott McClain has been promoted to director of Durango Parks and Recreation after 19 years with the department.
He will begin in his new role on Saturday.
McClain said he’s grateful for the opportunity.
“I'm looking forward to continuing to do what we do and serve the community and do great things with Parks and Rec and the great team we have, and make a difference in the town that we live in and love,” he said.
Tall and soft-spoken, McClain became assistant parks director in 2017, served as parks manager the year before, and started at the city in 2006 as a landscape architect, said City Manager José Madrigal.
Durango has such a strong yet diverse set of recreation interests that it makes it hard to prioritize what direction to take the city, he said. But the city’s facilities are exceptional for its size, and he is ready to respond to new recreational needs.
He said he has a deep understanding of the department’s history, staff and what it takes to work effectively with other city departments.
Good leadership means knowing who to turn to for collaboration and guidance, he said. If there’s a maintenance issue, for example, he knows who to call for expertise.
He has enjoyed working in Parks and Recreation for nearly two decades, saying it feels good to have strong support from a community passionate about the department’s work.
“There's definitely times that are frustrating or feel like we ought to be getting things done that we’re not,” he said. “(But seeing) everybody enjoying the parks and activities going on and things happening, that’s rewarding.”
The department’s overall budget is $10.6 million this year.
He said Durango’s two dedicated tax funds – a quarter of the 2005 half-cent sales tax and a quarter of the 2015 half-cent sales tax – are huge successes, for the department, in addition to the department’s growth over time and improved pace at addressing maintenance. Bringing on staff focused on natural lands and open space was also a big step, he said.
There’s still more work ahead, McClain said. He looks forward to updating older sections of the Animas River Trail and expanding the SMART 160 Trail, which would connect downtown Durango to Three Springs.
He’s also plans to update the Parks and Recreation master plan, which was last updated in 2020.
McClain said he was previously offered the director but turned it down because he wanted to make sure he was ready for the role.
“It's a big commitment and I wanted to make sure I was in the right space,” he said. “… I’ve definitely continued to grow since that time.”
McClain steps in as current director Kelly Schmidt returns to Bentonville, Arkansas.
Schmidt said she made a tough personal decision to return to Bentonville for family reasons. She started in Durango in January 2024 and was just beginning to find her stride when she chose to move. She said the city’s parks, recreation and open space amenities are in good hands with McClain.
She called Durango’s Parks and Recreation staff a “tenured,” “award winning,” and “gold standard” team, and said working with them was the pinnacle of her career.
McClain will bring stability and earn respect, she said.
Schmidt will help run the city’s July 4 Freedom 5K Run, Stroll and Walk at 9 a.m. at Rotary Park, her final day with the city.
She said listed accomplishments under her tenure: the first Parks and Recreation annual report in five years; the formation of a long-term planning, development maintenance and operations agreement for Durango Mesa Park with the Durango Mesa Park Foundation; the conveyance of 392 acres of open space to the city from the foundation; and other departmental improvements.
cburney@durangoherald.com