b'MayorsMessage Eric Zimmerman EZimmerman@NormandyParkWA.govN ormandy Parks Cityaway in the 1960s after helping Normandy Park Scene magazine isincorporate as a new city in 1953. Ron had a not where youdrule against cutting down trees and would only expect to find the namesell new homes to buyers who promised they of meteorologist andwouldnt cut theirs down either. Ron and Sally mathematician Dr. Edwardworked with the city to establish the Preserve, Lorenz. Many who dontexpecting wed protect the water and trees that know the name know themake it special. If you live on a property with part of his work involvingtrees, itll often be the case that your biggest seagulls before he shiftedtrees trace back to Rons forbearance and those to the less offensivewho followed his example. butterfly. Dr. LorenzEmmet, Ron, and Sally never knew most of popularized thinking about the way a smallus who use their parks, but the decisions they change can alter the trajectory of something in amade to work with the city and preserve their very major way: the butterfly effect.land created a legacy that has doubtless grown Some of the best memories I have of the firstbeyond what they could have pictured. There was few years of my sons life (hell have just turneda possible future where the land was a couple three by the time youre reading this) have beendozen houses, but creating parks has cut across in our local parks. For me, these are a collectionmany of our lives to help create memories and of moments Ill hold onto for the rest of my life,momentshere at home in Normandy Parkand I cant put a value on the first squealing laughthat we wouldnt ever want to erase. Some of the my son did on the swing set at E.J. Nist Familymemories well still think about fifty years from Park. For the most part, parks in Normandy Parknow. Thats quite a lot of gravity put out by the are the result of someone deciding to donate theirNist and Walker families pulling all our orbits land. Its no exaggeration to say our city wouldslightly more parkward. look very different if those folks had decidedIf I had to put a number to how many people differently, too.have meaningfully enjoyed Emmet, Ron, The E.J. Nist Family Park was created after theand Sallys parks, Id guess somewhere above will of longtime resident Emmet Nist left the landten thousand. Its a lot of people and a lot of to the cityas long as the city promised to keep itmemories for two decisions made long ago, and forever a park. Emmet served in the Marine Corpsthe number climbs higher every day. Eventually I in World War II before coming home to work in hissuppose that number will cross a million, because familys lumber company. The company still existsas long as were a city our parks will remain parks as the Seattle-Tacoma Box Company and has beeninto the far future. family-owned since 1889. Emmets career was treesIn a small city like Normandy Park we each and timber, and as a part of his legacy he wantedaffect the lives of those around us far more than to ensure the trees and land he loved in Normandywe realize, and some of the things we do and Park were protected for others to enjoy.decisions we make in 2024 will still have meaning Normandy Parks large and outstandingfifty years from now (and beyond, truly). If you Walker Preserve is also part of the legacy ofhave ideas for doing somethingvolunteering, Ron and Sally Walker. In the 1930s Ron builtgetting involved, planting a tree, or creating a some of the neighborhoods that would becomenew park of your ownplease let me know and Normandy Park, including the ShorebrookIll be glad to help. Email me at ezimmerman@and Riviera developments. Ron and Sally builtnormandyparkwa.gov. their house near the Cove in 1931, then movedMayor Eric Zimmerman4 Normandy Park City SceneFall 2024'