After nearly three decades as a supervisor in the Park Services Division of the Skokie Park District, John Gacki will retire tomorrow.

Gacki grew up in Morton Grove, went to Niles West High School and remembers in the 1960s riding his bike to Emily Oaks, where he swam and fished in the pond, long before the site was allowed to grow and thrive as a top-notch nature center and preserve.

His current title is landscape supervisor, but over his 40 years in parks and recreation, he has done a little bit of everything.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree from Illinois State with a double major in recreation and another in parks administration, he did an internship in Oregon for the Forest Service as a timber cruiser, a job that had him taking inventory of standing trees. He then worked as park foreman at the Schaumburg Park District, superintendent of parks at the Wauconda Park District and as a tradesman at the Niles Park District.

In 1996, he was hired by the Skokie Park District. Over the next 29 years, in addition to having supervised park services staff who landscape, prep athletic fields, maintain parks, and set up for special events, Gacki at various times has also served as golf superintendent and has overseen the park monitor.

A certified parks and recreation professional (CPRP), Gacki also served as the President of the Midwest Institute of Park Executives in 2011 and sat on two Illinois Parks & Recreation Association committees over the years.

“I will miss my work family and the camaraderie here at the park district,” Gacki said. “Back in the day I went hunting with a former HR manager and had the Oakton Community Center manager ask me for a park services sweatshirt on her very first day. It’s a good thing I got her one; she’s now our executive director.”

“He has made a real impact on the operations of the Skokie Park District in his many years of work here,” said Executive Director Michelle Tuft. “We will really miss John.”

As for his well-earned retirement, Gacki said, “I'll probably continue to work a little bit.”

He also plans to hunt and fish, organize his house, bike, kayak and spend more time with his wife Beckie and their dog Charlie.