A small park created to maintain the memory of a former town employee should be complete this spring.

Decorated with spruce and chokecherry trees, a bench, a paved pathway and a large sandstone rock in Black Diamond’s Riverwood subdivision, the Dianne Kreh Memorial Park is almost complete.

Black Diamond Parks and Recreation manager Les Quinton said all that’s left is an inscription to be sandblasted into the rock at the front of the park, which is expected to take place this spring.

“We have companies who donated to do the stencil work and sandblasting for the rock,” he said.

Town council made the decision to dedicate the park in Kreh’s name shortly after the Town’s former chief administration officer passed away following a year-long battle with lung cancer in 2008, said Black Diamond Mayor Sharlene Brown.

“It’s honouring the dedication of one of our staff members who played a very integral role in building our community to what it is today,” she said. “It’s really important to recognize people’s contributions to our community.”

Kreh worked for the Town for 32 years, starting off as an office clerk and working her way up to a chief administrative officer, Brown said.

“We thought it was a great way to honour all she has done for the community,” she said. “She worked her way up through the different departments in the Town of Black Diamond. She was an asset to the community.”

As is required by the Town, developers of subdivisions must commit space to be used for a green space and fund construction of a park.

The space for the Dianne Kreh Memorial Park, equivalent to two lots, joins the Willowridge and Riverwood subdivisions, said Brown.

“It’s a connecting piece in the community,” she said. “Anytime we have a walkable healthy connection it’s a great asset to our community.”

Brown had known Kreh for more than 10 years and described her as a go-getter who had the town’s best interest at heart.

Ken Kreh, who was married to Kreh for 10 days shy of 40 years, said council mentioned the idea to him quite a few years ago and he feels honoured to have his late wife recognized.

“Not too many people get dedications like that and are recognized by their peers that way,” he said. “She loved working for the Town and she enjoyed the people.”

Ken said Kreh loved Black Diamond and worked hard at making it the community it has become.

“She spent a lot of time at it,” he said. “It is something to be proud of.”

Former Black Diamond mayor and Kreh’s best friend Esther Rogers remembers all the hard work Kreh dedicated the town.

Many times Rogers was alongside Kreh working on different projects and couldn’t help but notice the willingness she had to take on more and more.

“She really ran the town,” said Rogers. “She was tiny but she was a force to be reckoned with. She was quite a taskmaster and kept council on their toes.”

Rogers said during the time she worked with Kreh she doesn’t remember her ever missing a day of work.

“You couldn’t have asked for somebody better,” she said. “She wouldn’t let anybody get away with anything whether it was at the municipal level or provincial level.”

Rogers said Kreh was well loved and respected in the community because of her tenacious nature.

“She was a real strong

little chicky with a heart as big as forever,” she said.

Although now an Okotoks resident, Rogers said it will be nice to see the park completed.

“I can’t think of someone more deserving of it,” she said. “It’s a nice way to remember her. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for the town. She lived and breathed the town.”

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