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Brenda Russell is on the final stretch of her recreation career with the City of Flin Flon. After signing on as a part-time worker in January of 1987, Russell will be retiring next Friday. With retirement just a week away, Russell says she will be able to spend time with her family and grandchildren, travel and, of course, help out with in the community when needed. Three years after landing her part-time city job, in 1990, she was named the community centre manager/recreation programmer. In 1995, Russell received the director of recreation title. Since then, Russell has been a part of many projects and events in the community. Her first project was working on the restructuring of the Flin Flon Zoo. Russell says the rebuild of the zoo was a community project she was able to be a part of. What started out as a zoo that housed wild animals like deer, raccoons and a moose, needed to be improved. Russell, along with others, did research on turning the zoo into what is now the Joe Brain Children's Petting Zoo. "Rather than going with...exotic animals, because (there was going to be) a huge cost, we decided to offer domestic farm animals," said Russell. Russell said it was the perfect opportunity to bring in farm animals Ð animals that some residents had never been around before. "We went with that as sort of an education opportunity," she recalls. The restructuring of the zoo began in 1995 and finished in 1997. The City of Flin Flon has put countless hours into the parks and playgrounds in the area. Russell says over the years she has worked with the community on a lot of the projects. "Most recently, of course, were the park upgrades," she said, noting that they tied in with the province's soil remediation initiative. Russell says working on the projects and meeting the people were always a favourite part of the job. "Forming these partnerships and working with the community to get results has been very beneficial," she said. Along with forming relationships with others in the community, Russell says she was able to connect with volunteer groups. "It worked out really well," she said. One of the bigger projects Russell has been a part of is Camp Whitney. Having opened 80 years ago as a Girl Guide camp, Camp Whitney is now a well-used site for many in Flin Flon and surrounding areas Ð including school outdoor education programs. "Camp Whitney has seen a lot of work going back to the '70s and '80s," she said. "In the '90s and this era, the big thing was almost like going green." Camp Whitney had upgrades with the solar systems, a dock replacement, recycled pieces from Flinty's Boardwalk and even trail upgrades. The recycled boardwalk pieces are always a conversation starter, says Russell. "It's a natural link to the history of Flin Flon," she said. The recreation director says Camp Whitney is a "real diamond in the rough, a paradise" and it has "stood the test of time." "Once people go there, they are hooked," she said. Though working with the city for the past 23 years has been enjoyable, Russell says she's been planning her retirement for the past five years. She didn't know when the exact date would be when she first thought about it, but she knew 2010 was going to be it. "It was a matter of saying, 'Okay, this is how many years I've been enjoying this job,'" she said. "2010 seems like a good time. "Factoring in age and things we want to do in retirement," this is the right time for Russell. Already knowing that she won't be able to let go completely, Russell will be back to help with the 2011 Norman Winter Games in January as well as stop by events to lend a hand. As well, Russell says she will be busy with a few of the community committees she sits on, like the District Health Council. "I want to stay involved with our community and help keep it the great place that it is to live," she said. Taking over Russell's position is Mike Dubreuil, the city's recreation manager. Dubreuil has been on the job for the past few months and as far as Russell can see, the department is in good hands. "This is a great town to put your recreation brain to work and to find programs that work," she said. "He's got a great group of people to work with. "Mike is very competent in what he does." Russell says one of the hard parts of retiring is saying goodbye to the staff and others she has worked with over the years. She says her colleagues have brought a level of "energy, creativity and passion" to the table that she's going to miss. When it comes to recreation, Russell says it's something that "becomes a part of your life and who you are." "When you're in it, you live it and you're hooked," she said. "You're hooked for life." Looking back over the years, Russell says she really did have "the best job in the world."
