News Flash

It’s only natural that the start of spring comes with the arrival of a recreation coordinator for the city of Liberty Lake.

Mickael Stevens started in that newly created job on March 4, now serving as the city’s point person with individuals and organizations that want to stage activities at city-owned sites.   He’ll also be managing reservations for city park facilities as well as helping staff develop any new signage that might be needed at those locations. The new recreation coordinator says he’s also looking forward to developing more in-house programming after this year.   

“I want to see what the community may want for programming, and eventually take that to the Parks and Arts Commission and the City Council,” he said.  

Stevens will likely be drawing on some of the activities work he’s performed in his earlier jobs.  For eight years, he managed the recreation department for the city of Rathdrum, Idaho. He was most recently the general manager of Spokane Gymnastics for six months. And, for nearly two years prior to the Rathdrum job, he managed an after-school program with the Coeur d’Alene Tribe for at-risk youths.

Stevens, who was born and raised in Hawaii, earned his associate degree at North Idaho College and went to Southern Virginia University for his bachelor’s degree in history. Then he entered his current career path after enrolling at Gonzaga University to study sports and athletic administration.

“I wanted to get into college athletics,” he explained.  “I enjoy the creativity part in designing events, and started developing a passion for it.” 

Two years ago, Stevens also opened up Merlin’s Comedy Club at the 400-seat Salvation Army Kroc Center Theater in Coeur d’Alene.  He hopes to use his connections with that venture to possibly add family-based comedians to events in Liberty Lake such as August’s Barefoot in the Park.