Happy Trails to Mick Renneisen

By Becky Higgins, Bloomington Parks & Recreation

In 2001, Bloomington Parks and Recreation became the 27th department nationally to achieve accreditation status from CAPRA (Commission on the Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies). To this day, the department has remained accredited.

Mick also served as a member of the Bloomington/ Monroe County Convention and Visitors Bureau, serving as the Board President in 2003 and 2004. He was also a board member of the Amateur Softball Association, served as the State Commissioner of USA Softball of Indiana, and in 2016 he was inducted into the National Softball Hall of Fame.

On April 23rd, after four decades of service to the City of Bloomington, Deputy Mayor Mick Renneisen retired. Wait a minute. It is probably best to start at the beginning.

Forty years ago, Mick Renneisen began his career with the City of Bloomington in the Department of Parks and Recreation. He worked in various positions within the sports division before becoming the Administrator of the Department for almost 20 years. During his tenure, Bloomington Parks and Recreation completed over $50 million in capital projects, including the addition of nine new holes at Cascades Golf Course, the acquisition of a 100,000 square foot indoor recreation center, the addition of Olcott Community Park, Leonard Springs Nature Park, the B-Line Trail, Clear Creek Trail, Jackson Creek Trail, Upper Cascades Skatepark, and the Showers Common, and numerous improvements to existing parks. Mick also assembled both land and funding resources and led the Master Planning process for Switchyard Park, a $34 million project completed in 2019 and the largest park project in the city’s history.

In 2007 under his leadership, Bloomington Parks and Recreation received the first of two Gold Medal Awards and was previously recognized as a finalist for the Gold Medal Award five times. This award represents excellence in the field of parks and recreation services and is the highest honor an agency can receive. Mick was very proud of this accomplishment and always attributed this success to his staff. from parks, trails and recreational facilities and events to the basic functioning of all of our departments. He is a quintessential public servant and has been indispensable in helping envision and realize the Bloomington we want to create for future generations.”

Mick is a past president of Indiana Park and Recreation Association (IPRA), served on numerous IPRA committees, and was named Professional of the Year in 2011. Mick holds both a B.S. and M.S. degrees from Indiana University where he served as an adjunct instructor, hosted a monthly IU sports program on WTIU, was a member of the Alumni Board, and currently serves as a member of the School of Public Health’s Dean’s Associates. Many who know Mick know that he has been an NCAA statistician for the IU men’s basketball team and the internal press box

When Mick was appointed Deputy Mayor in 2016, the department said goodbye to Mick as an Administrator, but hello to him as parks advocate within the mayor’s office. It was the best of both worlds. Mick continued his service to the City of Bloomington and to the community. As Deputy Mayor, Mick oversaw 16 city departments and was instrumental in implementing policies and goals, including job creation, affordable housing, quality of life improvements, and transparent and efficient basic governmental services. Upon his retirement, Mayor Hamilton stated that “Mick has been at the center of so much that our community treasures – Continued on page 38