Roseville Parks and Recreation staffer Michael Gauger keeps Roseville’s parks and playing fields lush and green all summer long.
Michael maintains the city’s 16 irrigation systems, which include more than 250 water valves and more than 1,400 irrigation heads. He also works on the park’s electrical systems and other projects.
“Working outside makes me happy. I like working with my hands. I like moving around,” Michael said. “My strength is taking complicated issues, troubleshooting them, and fixing the problem.”
Michael is Roseville’s irrigation expert, so it only makes sense that he has deep roots with Roseville Parks and Recreation. He and his brothers grew up in Roseville playing hockey at the skating center.
“My mother was on the Board of the Roseville Hockey Association for years,” he said.
His first job as a teen was working as a Roseville Parks and Recreation skate guard at the Oval. He was later promoted to shift supervisor. He held summer parks maintenance jobs in college.
He moved to San Diego, Ca., where he started and managed a gym. He and his wife moved back to Minnesota to raise their two daughters. Micheal said he found himself drawn back to Roseville. One of the best parts of his job is spending time in the parks every day. It never gets old, He said.
“The walk through Central Park is phenomenal. You go through 3 or 5 different parks systems – forest, wetlands and shoreline,” Michael said. “I especially like the boardwalk at the nature center. I learn something new every day.”
“I find happiness when I see an entire family playing at the playground and having a good time. I truly believe the parks system in Roseville is one of the city’s greatest assets.”