Retired no more, Elizabeth Varner has been named the permanent Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Galesburg. Varner worked for Galesburg Parks and Rec for over 3 decades, largely as recreation supervisor. She came out of retirement earlier this year to fill the interim duties, while Tony Oligney-Estill moved to a job with the police department. While recreation supervisor, Varner was responsible for the management and supervision of recreation facilities, including Hawthorne Pool, Lakeside Water Park, Lakeside Nature Center, and Lake Storey Beach and waterslide. She assisted with managing and supervising additional year-round recreational facilities and staff including Lakeside Recreation Facility, Lake Storey Pavilion, and Hawthorne Gymnasium. Varner successfully coordinated numerous programs and events throughout her career serving the Galesburg community and surrounding area. Varner says she's spent her "career in this field and is proud of the parks and recr
"I'm not feeling too bad about it because I know we're coming back with there being a renovation instead of just a closure," said Linda Miller, an avid pool user.
The City of Galesburg has shifted Parks and Rec Tony Oligney-Estill to a new position. He'll now work as the Community Service Supervisor with the Galesburg Police Department. This leaves an opening in the Director of Parks and Rec post which will be filled in the interim by Elizabeth Varner. Varner spent 30 years with the City's Parks and Rec department and was the long-time Recreation Supervisor before retiring in 2018. She was responsible for managing and supervising recreation facilities, including Hawthorne Pool, Lakeside Water Park, Lakeside Nature Center, and Lake Storey Beach and waterslide. Varner also successfully coordinated numerous programs and events throughout her career serving the Galesburg community and surrounding area. She's received awards for her work, including the Illinois Park and Recreation Association's 1996 Aquatics Manager of the Year, and received New Program of the Year 2009 from the Kids Golf Foundation of Illinois. City Attorney and