<p class="p1">Sulphur Parks and Recreation Director Steve Gayfield bears many similarities to his fictional counterpart Ron Swanson, a small-town parks director in the hit TV series “Parks and Recreation”: Both grew up in the Midwest, started off as park rangers and enjoy working with their hands.</p><p class="p1">But when it comes to sociability, the two could not be more different. </p><p class="p1">Unlike the reclusive Swanson, Gayfield loves working with people. He said the people of Sulphur have made even the hard part of that job easy.</p><p class="p1">“Really I think the friendliest people I’ve met in the country are here in Southwest Louisiana,” Swanson said. “Even when somebody’s not happy about something for some reason. The people are good to deal with.”</p><p class="p1">Gayfield moved to the area from Ohio about a year ago after former director Norman Farr resigned from his longtime position. Gayfield jumped right into his role, completing a number of projects within the year. </p><p class="p1">He and his team opened two new water slides at the SPAR Waterpark and a new wing in the SPAR fitness center. He also oversaw the completion of the Henning Cultural Center, operated by the Brimstone Museum, in a historic local home. </p><p class="p1">But he said the biggest project the parks department undertook in 2016 was the opening of Fideaux Field, the department’s first dog park, at 900 West Parish Road. He said he didn’t expect the park to attract as much interest as it has. </p><p class="p1">“I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how busy it is,” he said. He described it as “a good mix of agility features and open play area.”</p><p class="p1">Gayfield said this year’s priority project is renovating the front of Maplewood Commons. The final product will be comparable to the The Grove at Heritage Square, he said, with fountains, a walking area and decorative benches.</p><p class="p1">“The front part of the park has never really been developed,” Gayfield said. “We want to renovate that park and make it a piece of community pride.” </p><p class="p1">He said the department will also put in some work at Frasch Golf Course and focus on keeping all its facilities “up to snuff.”</p><p class="p1">Gayfield began his career as a park ranger in Missouri and worked his way up to a management position in Ohio before moving down South. He described his career path as rewarding and said that no two days have been the same.</p><p class="p1">But, like any job, some days the work gets tedious and the details overwhelm. On those days, he said, he’ll get an urge to ditch the office work and to spend all day mowing the grass.</p><p class="p1">Aside from those moments of nostalgia, though, his first year as director was — as he put it — “very pleasant.” </p><p class="p1">“I have no complaints,” he said.</p><p class="p1">Gayfield said his two biggest surprises on arriving in the South were how serious locals are about sports and how tight the community actually is, two aspects of Louisiana life he said he enjoys. </p><p class="p1">He said he’s happy to be here and excited to get rolling on this year’s projects. If fans of “Parks and Recreation” have anything to say about it, growing a hearty Swanson-style mustache may be among them.</p><p class="p1">And if last year’s performance is any indication of this year’s, he is sure to grow it in record time.</p><p>Gayfield</p>