VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – This week Dick Gulmon was made a member of the North Dakota Recreation and Park Association Hall of Fame. During the 2022 North Dakota Recreation and Park Association (NDRPA) Conference Valley City Parks and Recreation Park Board President Dick Gulmon was inducted into the NDRPA Hall of Fame.

Valley City Park and Recreation spokesperson Hilary Flatt said Dick Gulmon has over 40 years of involvement with parks and recreation. Early in his career, as a member of both the Valley City Recreation Board and the Valley City Park Board, he led the effort to combine both boards into one parks and recreation district. With guidance from NDRPA and working with the city commission, they were able to combine the boards successfully. Subsequently, he was the president of the Valley City Parks and Recreation Board of Directors for 24 years. In total, he served on the Valley City Park Board for 36 years. During his time with Valley City Parks and Recreation, the agency built a public golf course, tennis courts, outdoor swimming pool, and softball complex. They also renovated the City Park Bandshell for musical programs in the park and built a 66,000 square foot facility, the Gaukler Wellness Center. Of all these accomplishments, he considers the Gaukler Wellness Center one of the greatest, as it required collaboration with Valley City State University, the city of Valley City, and the Valley City Development Corporation. The center has been a huge success for the community. Dick says many of the accomplishments over the years would not have been possible without the combination of the boards and a full-time district.

She said Gulmon has been very involved with NDRPA during his time as a park board commissioner. When NDRPA undertook a complete rewrite of the North Dakota Park Board Manual in 2008, Dick served on the committee that spent countless hours meeting and revising the manual. It was a significant task, as the manual had not been updated since first created in 1985. His input was particularly valuable as an experienced park board commissioner. Another major manual revision was completed in 2017, and Dick was the only park board commissioner to serve on that committee. When asked to lead a training webinar on the park board manual, Dick stepped up and shared his expertise on park districts and public service with NDRPA members. He has also been active in the legislative process, always willing to testify or contact legislators about issues concerning park districts.

Flatt said everyone at the Park District could not be happier or prouder of this well-deserved achievement.