Karen Kieffer retires after 32 years managing recreation in Kincardine

After 32 years of being in charge of recreation in Kincardine, Karen Kieffer has retired.

“I’ve had an awesome career here,” she says, “but I’m going to change gears and see what else is out there. I’m going to take some time off, get settled in my new home in Ripley, and spend some time at the beach.”

Originally from Walkerton, Kieffer had just graduated from recreation and leisure studies at the University of Waterloo when she got the job in Kincardine.

“I graduated one week, and started this job the next week,” she says.

In April, 1992, she became the recreation supervisor for the Town of Kincardine, working with recreation director Keith Davidson and facilities manager Ron Boulton.

“I was basically hired for four months - to do Summer Day Camp and the District Seniors Games,” says Kieffer. “Then, in September, I asked Keith, ‘What now?’ and he told me to start planning programs and we’d go from there.”

By 1993, she was Kincardine’s full-time recreation supervisor, in charge of all the programming.

Then Davidson retired and Boulton became the recreation director and facilities manager; and Sept. 1, 2003, Boulton retired and Kieffer became the recreation director for the amalgamated Municipality of Kincardine.

“When I took over, it was my dream job,” says Kieffer. “It was so exciting. Kincardine is the best location, with great facilities, parks and programs.”

She held that dream job for almost 20 years until a reorganization of staff in 2021 brought in Jayne Jagelewski as director of community services, in charge of recreation and emergency services. And Kieffer became manager of recreation.

A lot has happened over the three decades Kieffer has worked in recreation in Kincardine.

There were two additions to the Davidson Centre - firstly, the seniors’ room and health club, and then the gymnasium and walking track.

“We were fortunate to get grants for both of those major projects,” says Kieffer. “They were greatly needed and they have served the community well.”

After the amalgamation of Kincardine with Kincardine Township and Bruce Township in 1999, the workload became immense, she recalls.

“It was very challenging,” she says. “I was working on capital projects, doing budgets, and trying to do some strategic planning. Now, I’m back to doing land and water programs, special events and policies. I’ve come full circle.”

The best part of her career has been dealing with the public.

“The people I did the programs for,” she says. “That’s what I enjoyed, especially the seniors programming. I have a real soft spot for seniors and always looked forward to the seniors games every year.”

Another highlight was extending the boardwalk to the south of Station Beach, along the Lake Huron shoreline in the Town of Kincardine. “It was a bit contentious but it turned out to a great success.”

Monday, April 29, was Kieffer’s final day on the job and Davidson was on hand to pipe her from her old office at the Davidson Centre, at 4:30 p.m.

As he rang the noisy cowbell and gathered a colour party together to lead Kieffer from the building, Davidson said to her, “The best thing about retirement is you get to take a nap any time you feel like it. Happy napping and sleeping in!”



Kincardine’s manager of recreation, Karen Kieffer, is led out of the Davidson Centre by piper Keith Davidson, bass drummer Colleen Gillis and flag-bearers Sara Vinandy and Jayne Jagelewski, Monday afternoon, following her final day at work before retirement

So, what is she going to miss after 32 years on the job?

“The people I work with and the public,” says Kieffer. “Kincardine is a wonderful place to live, work and play. I’ve met a lot of great people, I’ve worked with a lot of great people. There’s always something happening.

“People here are passionate about recreation. We have a lot of groups and organizations that care about their community. I’ve enjoyed working with the Kincardine Lions Club on the park beside the Davidson Centre, and the Tiverton Lions Club on the splash pad proposed for this year.”

On the flip side, she’s definitely not going to miss all the meetings.

“I’m not a Friday meeting person,” she says. “I don’t book one unless it’s absolutely crucial.”

She won’t miss doing up all the reports. And she won’t miss having to deal with beach safety and the tragic drownings along the Kincardine shoreline. “That’s a tough part of the job.”

Kieffer says the COVID-19 pandemic was a major challenge for the recreation department.

“The government announcements would come out on Fridays at 4 p.m. and we’d have to be set up with all the new rules in place the following week,” she says. “We were often left scrambling to interpret those rules and regulations.

“It was a wild time. We didn’t know what was to be open or closed; did we close the beach, the boat ramp, the boardwalk? What programs could run and what were cancelled? We had to report to council every week on what the new regulations were and how they were being implemented.”

But overall, Kieffer says her career here has been a positive experience.

Now, she wants to see what other opportunities are available. She plans to travel, play baseball and hockey, hang out with her friends and family, and spend time with her mom.

The new manager of recreation is Anne-Marie Thomson who started April 15.

At the council meeting Wednesday night (April 24), mayor Kenneth Craig noted that Kieffer was presenting her final report of her career. “She is retiring Monday, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavours.”