Longtime Idyllwild native is new recreation director

The Crier met with Idyllwild Community Center (ICC) President Stephanie Yost and ICC’s new Director of Recreation Johnny Wilson at his office next to Town Hall. He has been at his new post since Nov. 15, and spent several weeks shadowing the last director, Bridget Noer.

His duties include all of ICC’s recreation portfolio: adult and youth sports, the Skate Park, Dog Park and Pickle Ball courts, the Butterfield Amphitheater, and the playground at the future ICC site. Town Hall activities include afterschool activities and child care (Program Director Leo Rodriguez reports to Wilson), Fit After 50 (two instructors) and Jazzercise (run by a contractor who rents the space). His duties also include rentals for special events, the weekly Sunday Farmer’s Market, and a food bank, Feeding America, on the first Tuesday of every month.

Yost pointed out that although she takes the “laboring oar” (rowing crew term) during undertakings like the tree-lighting ceremony, ICC board members like herself are all volunteers.

Present sports activities include adult volleyball and the recently restarted adult basketball, with youth baseball and hopefully adult softball starting in spring. Planning goes on year-round, with the Summer Concert Series on Yost’s plate even this week.

Wilson has a few ideas about new programs to expand recreation at Town Hall: ping pong, line dancing, other dance classes including salsa, and a parent/child singing and dancing class for the under age 4 set, “Francesca’s Little Dance Class.”

Yost underlined that part of the recreation director’s job is managing and maintaining six facilities, things like cleaning, trash collection and snow clearing. “You are also managing a staff and everything involved in that, too.”

Wilson has what you’d call deep roots in the community. With so many volunteers needed, “it’s good to have a big network.” He provided a little history: “My grandparents were the first ones here in 1932. When Bridget was showing me around the outdoor kitchen here, there was a (Rotary Club) fundraiser where you can buy a tile. There’s a tile with my grandma’s garden on it that says ‘Inie’s Garden.’”

Wilson and his dad were both Idyllwild School graduates. “My uncle was Bud Hunt. My aunt Barbara Hunt was my dad’s sister.” He played youth sports here and brought along a few of his trophies, including the 1991 youth baseball championship, and has been coaching for the last three years, coming full circle. “This is my chance to give back to the community. A lot of personal pride goes with this position.”

Wilson’s own offspring, 7 and 10, make a fourth generation on the Hill. Raising children in Idyllwild was his “plan all along,” wherever he roamed. “Out of all the places I’ve been, this is still the number one spot to raise a family.” His first job was here (dishwashing at the Chart House) and he also was a local Realtor for seven years.

The next big community event on the Town Hall calendar is the Easter Egg Hunt, the Saturday of Easter weekend, which will take place at the County Park. For more about ICC, visit www.idyllwildcommunitycenter.org.