Parks and Recreation Director Tylr Stinson transforms Siler City’s green spaces with a future-focused vision to meet the town’s growing needs
As told to Emma Unger | Photo by John Michael Simpson
Tylr Stinson graduated from UNC Greensboro in 2021 and began working as a therapist in a retirement community, but the work soon began to weigh on him. Tylr wanted to continue changing lives in a meaningful way and turned to parks and recreation, the focus of his undergraduate studies, for a career change. He joined Siler City Parks and Recreation in January 2023 as a recreation coordinator and was promoted to director six months later. Tylr lives in Siler City with his wife, Kayla Stinson, and their six month-old son, Oliver Stinson. A typical day at work takes Tylr across Siler City and Chatham County’s facilities, preparing for special programs and developing plans for growth and maintenance.
What is one of the most memorable experiences or exciting moments that stand out from your time as parks and recreation director?
We did a lot of work at Washington [Avenue] Park. That park probably hadn’t seen work in [more than] 30 years, and we just repaved both courts, redid the basketball court, put in four new goals and lined it for futsal. We’re trying to get multi-use out of some of our facilities. There was a court that didn’t have anything on it, and we repaved that, turned it into a pickleball court and a shuffleboard court. … We’re just trying to make a difference and keep it fun and lively. I’m pretty proud of the work that we’re getting done at Washington Park.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
Getting direct feedback from the community. I love when I see kids smiling or our parks being used by families. That really warms my heart and really gives me affirmation that I made the right decision to come to Siler City and do a career change to parks and recreation. … I mean, that’s what life’s all about – having fun, enrichment [and] being with your friends and family.
Are there any new programs or events you’re especially excited about for 2025?
I always look forward to our special events, and [we are] really trying to grow them every year, getting advertisements out there, not just to Siler City, but to multiple cities. You put a lot of planning into a special event, so when you see that large crowd come out, it’s just very rewarding to see all the kids and parents smiling. … Especially as a parks and rec director, seeing that direct impact with the community, that’s what changes it.
How are you planning for the future of Siler City’s parks and recreational spaces as the town continues to grow?
I’m presenting a rebuild plan for Paul Braxton Gymnasium and the potential to build a new gym. Bray Park Sports Complex is the largest park in our system; it’s about 67 acres, and right now only about 21 acres are developed. So, we have a lot of land that we can work with at Bray Park. Another push we’re doing is a lot of work with [engineering consulting firm] ESP Associates. We’re looking at doing a lot of land acquisition to help with some floodplain mitigation work, and a part of that is looking at park pieces that can be added as well.
You’re currently working on a 10-year master plan for parks and recreation. What are some key goals or ideas shaping that plan?
The Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan was adopted Aug. 19, 2024. It’s definitely looking at the growth of the town, previous studies that the town has done and what our current park system has. They went through and scored all our parks, and we’re doing improvements at all our parks as well as looking at future plans for new parks. It’s comprehensive. It looks at factors like the population, travel distances, our community partners and floodplains, and compares them to the National Recreation and Park Association numbers. We’re trying to stay aligned with those national standards. A big piece to any plan like this is community input. All these plans are only as strong as the input we get from the community, so we’re focused on serving our community and seeing what their desires are and trying to add those to the plan.
What goes into your work overseeing the Spring Chicken Festival?
It’s a collaborative effort that involves months of detailed planning and coordination. You have to look at street closures, booking attractions, traffic flow and the variety of offerings you have. You want consistency, but you want to change it up, so people are still interested in coming to the event. This year, we created a committee for the event to help plan, organize and increase the overall efforts going into this event. Committee members include downtown business owners, downtown representatives and department staff. I want Siler City to be a tourist destination, so that’s my goal with the Spring Chicken Festival. I want to continue to build it for the future and really start getting a bigger crowd.
What makes that event special, and what can attendees look forward to this year?
The biggest thing for that event is that it’s free. All the rides, all the inflatables we offer at that event are free to everyone that comes. The town and our premier sponsor, Mountaire Farms, cover them fully. It’s a great opportunity for families to be engaged in the community and partake in things they might not normally have access to.
What are some other can’t-miss events and opportunities to enjoy the outdoors happening in Siler City this spring and summer?
We also do our Friday Night Flicks, which is a movie series with three movies. With the growth and desires of our community, we’re looking at maybe adding more in the future.
Lightning Round
Morning or evening person?
Morning.
Mountains or beach?
Both! But I don’t like salty air.
Favorite season?
I love my birthday time in November. I love seeing the leaves fall down.
Bucket list travel destination?
I’m a big scuba diver. I’d love to go scuba diving in the Red Sea.
Favorite sport to watch?
I am a parks and rec professional, but I really don’t watch sports. … In high school I was a big wrestler and tennis player. I enjoy watching tennis, and I like watching Formula 1 a little bit.
What’s your favorite outdoor activity?
Spending time with family.
What’s one park or facility in Siler City that more people should know about?
Our neighborhood parks, either Landrus [Siler Park] or Washington Park. … When I take people to those pocket parks, they’re like, ‘I did not know this was here, and I live nine blocks away.’
