Happy Trails, Ranger John

John Wilkerson, Park Ranger

Spend just a couple of minutes chatting with John Wilkerson, Park Ranger for The Park at Flat Rock, and it’s impossible not to come away with one primary impression: he is a good guy. And, to the great benefit of the Village for the past three years, John has been the smiling face and affable presence welcoming thousands of visitors to one of the crown jewels of Flat Rock, NC.

All of which makes his impending retirement on June 24th even more of a bittersweet moment for the Village.

John arrived in Flat Rock nine years ago as a Senior Aerospace Science Instructor at East Henderson High School. An impressive title but perhaps a bit much for his modest demeanor. “Just say I was a Junior ROTC instructor,” he says with a smile. His position at East came on the heels of a 23-year career with the Air Force that featured nine different jobs in seven different locations - including two stints at the Pentagon and time in Naples, Italy.

John ultimately spent six years at the high school and loved the job. Still, John considers his job at East as one of the hardest things he’s ever done - as well as one of the most rewarding. The experience gave him a deep and abiding respect for the men and women who keep our public schools operating. “It’s cliché to say, but teachers don't get enough credit,” he points out. “People complain about public education, but they don't realize all the good things that are happening in schools and how hard these teachers are working.”

After six years of working with high school students, John was ready to try something new. Fortuitously for both John and The Village, the job of Park Ranger was created as he started to explore new employment options. John’s friend on the Village Council, Ginger Brown, encouraged him to apply. John interviewed with Council Members and Village Administrator, Pat Christy, and he was formally offered the job by Mayor Bob Staton.

The idea of working outside and employing his hands-on skills for building and repairs was very appealing. Even more importantly, he was interested in building a deeper connection to a place that both he and his Cindy have come to enjoy so much. “I was excited about being part of the early days of The Park and being part of this community.”

John’s responsibilities at The Park are varied and require a unique set of abilities. The first order of business for a Park Ranger is being present. John keeps an eye on the facilities and makes sure that park visitors are using the park in a safe and responsible fashion. He answers a lot of questions and helps point people in the right direction - especially as the facilities and number of trails have grown through the years.

John is also very attentive to the safety of the two playgrounds in The Park. “I realized within a couple of months that keeping the playgrounds safe was very important,” he says. So much so that he became certified as a Playground Safety Inspector during his first year on the job. Beyond enforcing rules and keeping visitors safe, John also interfaces with all the contractors - landscaping, construction, plumbing, electrical - that service The Park as needed.

During his three years on the job, John has also worked to establish processes and procedures for operating and maintaining The Park. His documentation of all that a Park Ranger does and needs to know will be invaluable for his successor. In typical fashion, he is quick to point out the work of those that worked so hard to create and operate The Park before he took the job. “My biggest thanks goes to the people who in a way were the park rangers before me. Especially Steve Jamerson, Ginger Brown, Don Farr, and Wendy Beville. I’m standing on their shoulders. I've been able to do a lot of cool stuff, but really they were the ones that got me started.”

During John’s tenure, there have been many improvements to The Park. A small shade pavilion was constructed next to the main playground. The Tot Lot for children ages 2-5 was built, the trail system was completely finished with the addition of connecting bridges, and the wildflower meadow was added.

John is looking forward to the next chapter of his life but he will miss the people. In his experience, park-goers are generally in good spirits and very appreciative of having a place to get outdoors for many different activities. He is also proud that he was able to cultivate and maintain so many good relationships with visitors.

As the person who has spent the most time at the Park, John knows firsthand how valuable the facility is to Flat Rock and to people throughout the area. “You realize how important this park is to everyone that uses it. We have a gentleman that walks here every morning and I've gotten to know him. He had a heart attack last year and he’s told me that this park has helped save his life.”

The value of The Park was perhaps never more obvious than during the darkest months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Park remained open - although the playgrounds were closed - and became a refuge for people needing to get out of their houses and find a safe place to exercise and be with people while still socially distanced.

Indeed a quick perusal of the nearly 900 Google reviews of The Park makes it immediately obvious how important The Park is to Flat Rock and people throughout the area. John hears those positive reviews as a matter of course during his daily routines. “People tell me this is the best park they've ever been to. It's the cleanest park. It's got the best playgrounds. It's got the best trails. It's been so much fun to see what a positive impact this place has on people.”

Former Village Council member, Ginger Brown attributes many of those positive reviews to John’s hard work. “Under John's tenure The Park went from good to great,” she says.  “His friendly and fair interaction with visitors made The Park a more enjoyable place. John is an excellent representative of the best of Flat Rock.”

What does John want to see for the future of The Park? He is very excited about plans to develop a Green Master Plan. The plan, spearheaded by Will Garvey, Park Bee Keeper and member of the Park Commission, will help guide future plantings of native species and the removal of invasive plants. John is also hopeful that plans to restore the creeks that run through the park will be implemented. “It will save the village money by lowering maintenance costs on the trails. It will also be more natural with more wildlife and better access to the creeks. This park is so special and so beautiful. If we restore those creeks, it will be just unbelievable.”

What’s next for John? Fortunately, John and Cindy have no plans to leave Flat Rock. They’ve found a home and a wonderful community in The Village at Highland Lake. There are plans to do some traveling and John hopes to spend more time on woodworking projects. And, after giving the new Ranger some time to settle in, he plans to enjoy The Park as a private citizen. Perhaps, he says with a mischievous grin, he will give the new ranger some good-natured ribbing. “Once I start coming back, I’m sure I'll go up to the new ranger and say ‘Hey, how come that's not fixed? Or, I found a piece of trash over here. What's up with that!?’”

Regardless of where he goes and what he does, John Wilkerson is acutely aware of the good things that have happened to him in his life. His gratitude is evident and he is quick to acknowledge that he has been blessed. “I always say I'm not the kind of person to win the lottery. But I always tend to land well.”

John Wilkerson’s ability to “land well” has been the good fortune of Flat Rock for the past three years. We salute him for his hard work and wish him all the best in the years ahead. Thank you, John.

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For 11 more days you can reach John at john@villageofflatrock.org or you can find him at the Park. He’ll be the good-natured guy making sure everyone has the best experience possible.