By Ashley M. Casey

Associate Editor

After dedicating 15 years to the town of Lysander Parks and Recreation Department, Tony Burkinshaw is moving on. Burkinshaw, who was Lysander’s recreation supervisor, has been appointed recreation director for the village of North Syracuse. He started his new job Nov. 30.

While he is looking forward to a fresh start in North Syracuse, Burkinshaw told the Messenger it has been difficult to say goodbye to Lysander.

“Thank you to the Lysander community for 15 years of service and giving me an opportunity to serve the community and be a part of the community,” he said. “I’m definitely going to miss it.”

Burkinshaw’s crowning achievement in Lysander likely is the controversial spray park, which opened in 2019 after two and a half years of planning and politics.

The Lysander spray park welcomed more than 1,000 people on its opening day, Aug. 16, 2019. During its first season, the spray park saw a total of 3,000 guests. While the spray park remained closed this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Burkinshaw and Lysander Town Engineer Al Yager were honored for their work on the project. The spray park has received the Exceptional Park Design Award from both the Central New York Recreation and Parks Society and the New York State Recreation and Parks Society.

“Good or indifferent or bad, putting that spray park in put us on the map,” Burkinshaw said. “People are now aware and attuned to what we did and what we’re doing.”

While the spray park has drawn the spotlight to Lysander, it wasn’t an easy journey, Burkinshaw said.

“The biggest thing I found challenging with any municipal [project] was the politics. I was very proud of the spray park. To see it being met with such negativity was hard to take,” he said. “If they get it up and running next year and if they do another grand opening it will be great.”

Under Burkinshaw’s tenure, the town of Lysander has also become the pickleball capital of Central New York. Pickleball, which originated in Seattle in 1965, is played on a badminton-sized court with a lower net, a wooden paddle and a whiffle ball. Snowbirds who picked up the sport in Florida brought it home to CNY, Burkinshaw said.

Lysander Park hosted the region’s first outdoor pickleball tournament in 2016 and continues to be a favorite court for local players.

“I’ve been told that it’s the best outdoor pickleball facility in the area,” Burkinshaw said. “When people stop to play pickle ball in Lysander, they stop to get gas, they stop to get something to eat. They’re still pumping money into the community.”

Burkinshaw began his parks and rec career while studying at SUNY Brockport. He took a job with the town of Gates and later interviewed with then-Lysander Parks Director Ann Smiley.

“I’m a Central New York boy. I grew up over in Memphis, New York, which is a hamlet of Van Buren,” Burkinshaw said. “She took a chance on me and gave me the opportunity to move back to Central New York.”

The North Syracuse job does not necessarily mean B’ville must bid Burkinshaw goodbye — he still lives in Van Buren with his wife, Jodi, and their three children. He plans to continue coaching wrestling in the Baldwinsville Central School District. His two older children are students at Reynolds Elementary.

“I was proud to be a part of the community. I was proud to serve the community whether it was coaching or parks and recreation. We’re happy where we’re at,” he said. “Possibly I might be able to enjoy the events [in Baldwinsville] now instead of working them.”

One thing Burkinshaw plans to bring with him to North Syracuse is the spirit of community and collaboration he learned in Lysander. He said he has a good relationship with Lysander Supervisor Bob Wicks and Van Buren Parks and Recreation Director Cathy Perkins.

“For a small community like Baldwinsville, they really pull together and they’re really supportive of one another. It was nice to be able to pick up the phone and call somebody from Van Buren or somebody from the village for help,” Burkinshaw said. “It was a nice community-based network of friends for support. It’s rewarding to know you’re part of a community like that.”

Burkinshaw said he is looking forward to possibly collaborating with Cicero Parks and Rec Director Teresa Roth, who held the top parks job in North Syracuse until the summer of 2020.

While Burkinshaw will be busy learning the ins and outs of North Syracuse’s eight parks and the community center, he will always treasure his time in Lysander.

“I’ll still have part of my heart at Lysander Park for sure,” he said.