Issue 14 | March 2026
Celebrating growth, teamwork, and all the good stuff in between.
In This Issue…
Welcome
The beginning of 2026 has been full of energy and accomplishments across the Parks & Rec department, from park upgrades and new trails to memorable community events and volunteer celebrations.
In this issue, we’ll share highlights from notable park projects, fun seasonal events, professional development milestones, and standout moments where our team went above and beyond to serve the community.
With spring in full swing and warmer weather here, we’re excited to kick off Grapevine Baseball and Softball season. It’s a busy and action-packed time for our entire department, with the anticipation of more outdoor programs and events and new park experiences right around the corner.
It’s been a strong start to the year, and we’re just getting started!
OPENING DAY AT OAK GROVE BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL
On Opening Day at the Oak Grove Baseball and Softball Complexes, the crack of the bat and cheers from the stands mean one thing, baseball and softball season is back! In Grapevine, Opening Day is about more than just the first game, it’s a celebration of community, tradition, and the spirit of America’s pastime, especially meaningful as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
The story of Oak Grove’s baseball fields stretches back decades. The original fields were built in the 1950s and quickly
Opening Day
became a place where local kids learned the game and families gathered week after week. In November 2006, Grapevine voters approved a sales tax initiative to support major park improvements, including a full revitalization of the Oak Grove complex.
The city worked with planners and engineers, including HNTB, alongside local sports organizations and the Army Corps of Engineers to reimagine the complex. The result was a design that modernized the fields while preserving the natural beauty of Oak Grove. A major renovation in 2009 transformed the complex into the premier youth baseball and softball destination it is today.
family-friendly features like a playground, shaded seating, and improved trail connections. The result is a space that’s just as welcoming for spectators as it is for players, and one that reflects Oak Grove’s tradition of excellence, with fields recognized by the Texas Turfgrass Association as among the best in Texas.
“We are not a team because we work together. We are a team because we respect, trust, and care for each other.”
-Vince Lombardi
The project received statewide recognition, earning the 2010 Design Excellence Award from the Texas Recreation & Park Society. The award highlighted the project’s environmentally conscious design, which preserved mature post oak trees and incorporated sustainable practices such as using energy-efficient lighting and drawing irrigation water from nearby Grapevine Lake.
The Oak Grove Softball Complex has a story of its own. Originally built in the 1970s, it received a major renovation in 2019 that expanded the layout from three fields to four, enhanced field lighting, and added updated amenities and
Today, the impact of those investments is clear. Oak Grove has hosted more than 30,000 games and 17,000 practices, welcoming hundreds of thousands of young athletes to its fields. The complexes have also become a destination for competitive play, hosting regional and national tournaments, including the NCCAA Softball World Series and helping establish Grapevine as a growing sports tourism destination.
But on Opening Day, all this fades and something more meaningful takes center stage. The community gathers for a day of celebration that begins with a team parade, as players proudly march with their teammates and banners before taking the field for the first time that season. Families enjoy festivities, activities, and a full day of celebration throughout the park!
As the United States celebrates 250 years of history, communities across the country continue to gather in places just like Oak Grove. In Grapevine, every pitch, every play, and every Opening Day adds another chapter to that enduring American story!
Employee Spotlight
Stephanie Frank
Recreation Coordinator, Fitness
Meet, Stephanie Frank, our Fitness Coordinator at The REC. Stephanie brings energy, enthusiasm, and a passion for health and wellness to the team. When she’s not helping others stay active, you’ll likely find her working out or catching a football game. Stephanie loves the simple things, like a good jar of pickles and her favorite perfume, which she never leaves home without! With a big family, a furry companion at home, and a sense of humor that keeps the workplace fun, Stephanie enjoys being part of a department that continues to grow and truly feels like family.
Fun Fact:
Stephanie is an avid snowboarder, has summitted three 14,000-foot mountains, and has a second Bachelors degree in nursing!
Doug seale
Irrigation Tech II
Meet, Doug Seale who is our Irrigation Technician for Park Maintenance, Athletics! Doug plays an important role in keeping Grapevine’s athletic fields in top condition. A proud husband to Courtney and father of three, Doug enjoys spending his free time at baseball games, dance competitions, or relaxing on the back patio or around the fire pit with his wife. A baseball fan through and through, he’s rarely seen without his baseball cap! Doug is energized by being part of a team that maintains some of the best athletic facilities around, and he takes pride in helping create great experiences for young athletes at the Oak Grove Baseball Complex.
Fun Fact:
Doug is a former state champion in judo, placed third nationally, and even skateboarded with Tony Hawk!
BRIGHT MOMENTS & HIGHLIGHTS
The first quarter of the year has been a busy and productive one for the Parks & Rec team, with progress happening across the department, from park improvements to community events and outreach. Our Park Maintenance team has been hard at work completing several projects that improve access, safety, and the overall look of Grapevine’s park system. Some highlights include a new trail extension at Oak Grove Loop North, two new trail parking lots on Snakey Lane to make it easier for residents to access the trails, and new trailhead signage, bench seating, and a water fountain along the C. Shane Wilbanks Trail. The team also installed a new fence at Meadowmere Soccer and completed median improvements along William D. Tate Avenue, helping keep our public spaces welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.
Our Community Events team kicked off the year with two well-loved events, the Daddy-Daughter Dance in January and the Mother-Son Date Night in March, both of which were big hits with families! We also had the opportunity to celebrate the incredible impact of our volunteers at a Fiesta-themed Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, where 20 volunteers were recognized for their outstanding service.
Professional development and community connections were also a focus this quarter. Several team members attended the TRAPS Conference in Corpus Christi in February, where our team successfully hosted the Danny Boykin Memorial Golf Tournament. During the conference, Mariah and Ana delivered a presentation highlighting the success and impact of our Summer Camp programming. In addition, Trent presented to the Rotary Club, giving an update on what’s happening across Parks & Recreation, including the anticipated facility expansion and new sensory room that is in progress, which was very well received! Our team also showed their community spirit by participating in the AMBUCS fundraiser.
The Lake Parks team did an amazing job planning, coordinating, and installing the highly anticipated Prehistoric Park, handling everything from logistics to event planning to bring this fun experience to our community.
We wrapped up March with a successful GBS Opening Day, kicking off the baseball and softball season. A big thank you to our Athletics and Hospitality teams for their hard work behind the scenes making the day run smoothly. Altogether, it’s been a strong start to the year and a great example of the teamwork and dedication that continues to make Grapevine Parks & Rec special!
Division Feature
What is Up to?
Hospitality
For the Hospitality Division, excellence isn’t limited to what happens on the fields, it’s built behind the concession counter, inside the kitchens, and through the steady leadership that guides nearly 40 part-time team members each season.
Led by Andrea Tredaway, Hayden Garner, and Kristen Steinborn, the Hospitality Division is more than a concessions team. For many of its employees, this is their very first job. It’s where they learn how to show up on time, work as a team, serve customers with confidence, manage money responsibly, and take pride in doing a job well. The division plays a foundational role not only in operations, but in shaping young professionals who carry those skills far beyond our parks.
On any given day, Hospitality staff are preparing food, running registers, monitoring and restocking inventory, maintaining facility cleanliness and compliance, and providing on-site operational support during leagues, practices, and special events. Their weekly rhythm includes staff scheduling, ordering and managing food inventory, and preparing for high-volume tournament weekends. Seasonally, the work intensifies as they prepare for large national tournaments, introduce new and limited-time menu items, and review sales performance to identify operational improvements. Every hamburger wrapped, every ICEE poured, and every register balanced is part of a much bigger system designed to run smoothly under pressure.
And the numbers tell a powerful story! In 2025 alone, the Hospitality Division recorded 84,500 transactions, a record-breaking season! They served approximately 22,200 hamburgers, 15,000 hot dogs, and 24,000 ICEEs, totaling more than 61,000 core menu items. To guests, it looks effortless: fully operational concession stands delivering quality food with speed and consistency.
Behind the scenes, it’s preparation, coordination, and teamwork at an impressive scale. The division also strengthened its partnership with Rock & Brews to expand menu variety, successfully launched limitedtime offerings like brisket mac and cheese, and brought back crowd favorites such as the walking taco. Innovation and creativity remain priorities, as the team continues expanding community partnerships and introducing new menu experiences while maintaining operational efficiency.
Hospitality’s impact extends far beyond Athletics. The team supports the Community Events Division by providing food service and operational assistance at large community events and major REC programs.
This May, they are especially proud to support the return of the NCCAA College Softball World Series, where the Hospitality team will oversee operations of the tournament hospitality tent serving coaches and tournament personnel. Managing high-volume, high-visibility events like this showcases the division’s professionalism and reliability.
Their vision is clear: deliver highquality food and service that enhances the experience for every park patron and tournament visitor!
When families spend an entire Saturday at the ballfields, when tournament guests feel welcomed and cared for, when community events run seamlessly, Hospitality is there. They fuel the experience, support interdepartmental collaboration, generate meaningful revenue, and help ensure that Parks & Recreation runs not just efficiently, but exceptionally.
High Fives & Kind Words
“Susan did an amazing job coordinating Winter Camp! The field trip to ICE and the Main Street scavenger hunt were a huge hit. Thank you for all of your efforts in making it an enjoyable and exciting experience for campers and staff!”
- Mariah
“Shout out to Kristen! She has done an incredible job streamlining the badge process and making them much easier to deliver. Behind the scenes, she coordinated countless emails and phone calls to make it happen. Thanks to her hard work, badges were distributed to our volunteers and teams before the season even began. Great work, Kristen, and thank you for your dedication!”
- Vickie & Blake
“Dan - from Indoor Play, cover guard replacements, basketball goal fixes, and everything in between...you are the best and help our building to stay in tip-top shape! Thank you for all you do!”
- Mariah
“Thank you all for the hard work you put in during the Danny Boykin Memorial Golf Tournament, even while getting beat up by the wind! Your dedication, teamwork, and positive attitudes truly showed why Grapevine is the place to be. You brought the GPARD magic to Corpus Christi and helped turn a very windy day into a memorable experience for everyone involved. Well done, we’re thankful to work with such an incredible team.”
- Trent & Andrea
“Megan V. has been incredibly helpful during the nearly three months I’ve been here. Her patience and kindness truly stand out and have not gone unnoticed. Megan is always quick to answer questions and never hesitates to help, if she doesn’t have an answer right away, she always finds one. She has also taken the time to walk me through various Stewart Hall layouts and explain the small details that have been instrumental in helping the reservations team be successful. Thank you, Megan!“
- Mayra
“Stephen and Hayden went above and beyond by building a custom DJ booth for the department. Not only did the design come out great, but it also saves us from renting one for each event! The booth made its first appearance at the Daddy Daughter Dance in January and was a great addition to the event.”
- Arianna
“Huge thanks to the events team that made this Mother-Son night unforgettable for both my son Harvey and me!”
- Resident
“THANK YOU to everyone who helped make GBS Opening Day such a success. This is always a fun way to kick off the season, and it’s great to see our teams and community come together each year.
Everyone involved should be proud of the role they play in making this event happen. The quality experiences and facilities we provide, and the level of service that is delivered each day are what makes Grapevine stand out. Thank you to the Athletics team, Hospitality, Parks Maintenance, Special Events, Admin and everyone who stepped up to support. Your efforts made for a great start to the season, and it is appreciated.”
- Andrea
Congratulations to Taylor and Morgan for receiving their Outdoor Hospitality Professional Certificate!
Congratulations to Arianna and her husband Daniel for the purchase of their new home in Lewisville!
Congratulations to Joseph and his wife Blair on the birth of Josiah Robert Solis born December 22!
Congratulations to Mariah and Ana for presenting a helpful and engaging presentation at the TRAPS conference in February!
Congratulations to Megan and her family who moved into their new home in Roanoke!
Celebrating milestones and life events.
Congratulations to Claire and CG on their recent engagement and the purchase of their new home in Grapevine!
Congratulations to Chris and Amy who are expecting their first grandchild in August!
Congratulations to Jeff, who won First Place at the Taste of Texas Independence Day Chili Cook-off!
Congratulations to Cindy who is expecting her first grandchild in July!
Congratulations to Ana! Ana received her Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) certification through the National Recreation and Parks Association!
Welcome Manuel, our new Irrigation Tech I with the Parks Maintenance, Irrigation Division!
Congratulations to Lindsay, who was promoted to Recreation Coordinator with The REC team!
Congratulations to Emily, Ava, and Shannon for receiving their StarGuard Instructor certification!
Congratulations to Katelyn for receiving her Boaters Education License and USA Archery Instructor certification!
Congratulations to Joseph who received his Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) certification through the National Recreation and Parks Association!
Congratulations to Jen, who was accepted into NRPA’s Directors School, an exclusive two-year professional development program for aspiring directors!
Congratulations to Brooke, who completed her first year at the Texas Management Event Institute for her Texas Festivals and Events Associate certificaiton!
Congratulations to Mariah who received her Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) certification through the National Recreation and Parks Association!
Congratulations to Trent and the Kelley family on the sale of their home!
Welcome Abigail, our new Reservation Coordinator with the Community Events team!
Celebrating Years of Service
Randy Sell - 25 years
Jeremiah Obert - 19 years
Jen Kashner - 12 years
Luke Wolfard - 12 years
Kathy Nelson - 11 years
Andrea Tredaway - 11 years
Cindy Harris - 10 years
Natasha Gale - 5 years
Dan Brown - 4 years
Rachel Vise - 3 years
Joseph Solis - 2 years
Ava Schragin - 1 year
Rachel Corn - 1 year
Claire Gilbert - 1 year
Teamwork & Triumphs
In December, a routine afternoon at The REC turned into a powerful reminder of the impact our Parks & Rec staff have on the community every day. When a 23-year-old member suddenly went into cardiac arrest, Jen, Emily, and Shannon immediately stepped into action. Relying on their training and staying calm under pressure, they quickly recognized the emergency, called 911, began CPR, and used the facility’s AED to deliver lifesaving shocks.
Those first few minutes are often the most critical in a cardiac emergency, and the team’s quick response gave the member the best possible chance of survival before fire and medical crews arrived. Because
Jen, Shannon, and Emily acted without hesitation, their efforts helped save a life.
In February, the REC team was honored at the EMS Awards Lunch hosted by Baylor Scott & White and later recognized at a City Council meeting by the Grapevine Fire Department. They received Life Saver Awards for their extraordinary actions and were commended for their quick thinking, teamwork, professionalism, and dedication. Their quick response not only saved a life but also added to Grapevine’s impressive record in nationally recognized cardiac arrest survival efforts.
For Jen, Emily, and Shannon, the moment wasn’t about recognition, it was about doing what they were trained to do.
Looking back on the experience, Shannon shared how meaningful it was to see the young man recovering. When asked about the incident, she said, “It was really emotional to know that he gets a second chance, especially because of the training that happens here and people who know what they’re doing.”
Emily emphasized how important quick action can be in emergencies like this. She noted that the rapid response, performing CPR, providing oxygen, and using the AED played a critical role in ensuring the member survived without brain damage.
Stories like this highlight something our community already knows well, that Parks & Rec staff do far more than manage facilities and programs. We create safe spaces, build relationships with members, and, when it matters most, step up to protect and care for the people we serve.
Jen, Shannon, Emily, and the entire REC team exemplify that commitment, and their actions are something our entire department can be incredibly proud of.
