GREENFIELD — A longtime employee of the Greenfield Parks Department is being honored with a trail named for him at the park he was passionate about caring for.
Andy Milke spent 28 years working for the Greenfield Parks Department, beginning in 1992. Milke was the only employee responsible for taking care of Brandywine Park. At its recent meeting, the Greenfield City Council approved the naming of a trail in the park as “Milke Way” in his honor.
The resolution approved by the council stated that Milke maintained Brandywine Park “with love and care, treating the park as his second home. Andy kept the park in immaculate condition and was constantly seen mowing the grass, picking up trash, and making sure that the playing fields, whether they be soccer, baseball, or softball, as well as the buildings and environments, were in pristine condition and ready to serve both the adults and youth of the City of Greenfield.”
During his career at the Parks Department, Milke worked with local sports teams and other organizations to coordinate usage of the parks’ fields. He also helped develop plans for many of the city’s other parks and attractions, including Beckenholdt Park, the Riley Park pool and splash pad, and the James Whitcomb Riley Home and Museum.
“Andy possessed the amazing ability to fix almost anything, and by virtue of his ability, he saved the City of Greenfield and the citizens of Greenfield thousands of dollars in maintenance repairs over the span of his career,” the resolution read.
Greenfield parks superintendent Ellen Kuker said Milke was known for frequently checking weather reports so that he could make sure the park’s fields were in perfect condition when they were being used.
Milke, 77, died in October, and the Parks Department quickly moved to get the council’s approval in naming Brandywine Park’s paved trail after him. The trail runs from the entrance of the park to its maintenance garage.
“Andy was one of those quiet workers. You never really questioned whether something would get done. It just got done,” Kuker said. “He worked out of that maintenance garage like a one-man show, but when you look at the park you would think it took a crew of people to maintain it. He single-handedly did that.”
When she started her career at the Parks Department, Kuker said, she would frequently stop by Brandywine Park to speak with Milke about what was happening in the department.
“He would beeline for the parking lot just to talk to me about what he was doing, what projects were coming up, and he just had such passion for that, that this feels like a great way to honor him,” Kuker said.