Jarod Logsdon Becomes New Zionsville Parks Superintendent
Photographer / Kelli White
While working for the county parks department in McMinnville, Oregon, Jarod Logsdon spent a lot of time wishing he could be closer to his family in northeast Indiana. Stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus pandemic made travel challenging, and more than 2,000 miles separated Logsdon, 30, from his family.
Logsdon set about looking for an opportunity to expand his professional career in a place where he could be instrumental in growing a parks program, while being closer to family. He has found such a situation as the new superintendent of the Zionsville Parks and Recreation department.
“I put some miles on my soul, but there’s no place like home,” says Logsdon, referring to his job travels westward and eventually back to Indiana.
Logsdon assumed the role of superintendent for the Parks and Recreation department in October.
He graduated from Prairie Heights High School, located in a farming community, before earning his zoology and wildlife management degree from Ball State University. Logsdon’s interest in conservation prompted a move to Texas, where he worked with alligators. Working for a city with a population of 20,000 gave him exposure to all facets of public service work.
“I really fell in love with public service, but then I wanted a more mountainous terrain so I looked to Colorado or Oregon, and Oregon won,” Logsdon says.
The experience Logsdon gained along the way has inspired him as he considers opportunities for Zionsville parks. He is excited about the upcoming dog park at Heritage Trail Park, as well as 2021 construction plans for Overley-Worman Park, which will feature a nine-hole disc golf course, mountain bike trails, walking paths, shelter spaces and more.
Logsdon’s most recent post was in a 17-park system, and he enjoyed working on a regional hiking, biking and horse trail. As he learned more about Zionsville, Logsdon says he was excited that the community is not landlocked, which would require local leaders to strategically find green space within an existing footprint.
“My next goal is to create a legacy in my professional career, and I would love to be a part of that in Zionsville,” Logsdon adds. “Recreational opportunities, volunteers, and nature education and programming will get the community invested in being stewards of the land for generations to come, and it’s really exciting.”
Logsdon says he is keeping an eye out for a home after he gets familiar with the area, and he is considering Zionsville because he’s an avid biker and would enjoy riding to work. As a bonus, his Indiana move brings him closer to his brother’s family and newborn niece in nearby Anderson.
