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Craig Dishman
Mitch Park is located at 1501 W. Covell Road in Edmond. (City of Edmond)

After more than 10 years as Edmond’s director of parks and recreation, Craig Dishman submitted his resignation notice to the city Friday, Aug. 26. His resignation takes effect Friday, Sept. 2.

Dishman told NonDoc that it was “a good time to make a leap.”

“It has been an enjoyable 10 years and I wish the department and city future success,” he wrote in a statement.

City of Edmond marketing and public relations manager Bill Begley gave a statement on Dishman’s resignation, saying, “The city thanks him for his service and wishes him well in his future endeavors.”

The city hired Dishman as the director of the parks and recreation advisory board in July 2012.

Before accepting that position, he served as the recreation services superintendent in Mesquite, Texas from February 2006 to July 2012. Prior to that, he worked as the recreation supervisor in Colleyville, Texas, from April 1999 to February 2006, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Dishman’s resignation comes as the city is in the process of figuring out funding for the maintenance and operating costs of developing additional fields at Mitch Park, and just weeks before renovations begin at Stephenson Park, the city’s oldest park.

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Additionally, city council members recently voted to reject a $7.3 million bid to renovate the A.C. Caplinger sports complex. The lowest bid on the project came in at about $425,000 more than city staff’s estimate, according to Andy Conyers, Edmond’s assistant manager of administration.

The Edmond Parks and Recreation Director oversees the operations and budgets of Edmond’s 33 city parks and of recreation facilities such as Arcadia Lake and KickingBird Golf Club.

The city has yet to name a new parks and recreation director.

The parks and recreation advisory board meets on the third Thursday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in the multi-activity center within Mitch Park, at 2733 Marilyn Williams Drive. The next possible meeting could be held Thursday, Sept. 15.