Tim Leavitt

Tim Leavitt is nearly a lifelong resident of Clark County, having attended Minnehaha Elementary School and graduating from Fort Vancouver High School in 1989. He is also a proud alumnus of Clark Community College (AA), Washington State University (BS; MS, 1998), and the Leadership Clark County program (2000).

In 2001, he was appointed to the Vancouver Planning Commission and in 2003 to the Vancouver City Council. In 2009, the voters of Vancouver elected Tim to Mayor. He served two terms as Mayor and finished January 1, 2018. During his tenure as Mayor, the City experienced a renaissance as the 2008 recession ended, the City restructured its financial management, a new City Hall was acquired, the Vancouver Waterfront construction began, and an affordable housing initiative was approved by voters.

In “political retirement”, Tim has enjoyed continued community involvement, and, aside from the PFCC, is presently serving on the J. Scott Campbell Foundation Board and the Portland Business Alliance Board. For his day job, Tim is a professional civil engineer. Over the past 20 years, Tim has led teams of designers to complete important parks, trails, commercial centers, office buildings, fire stations, hotels and many more projects throughout our community. He is a Principal Engineer at Otak, a fully integrated international architect/engineering firm, with local offices in both Vancouver and Portland.

Why Parks Foundation:

Parks, Trails and Recreation programs have a special place in my heart. The Vancouver-Clark Parks and Recreation Department offered a day camp program at Leverich Park, which was a Godsend for my brother and me. Without the park and program, I’m certain we would have found our way into trouble over the summer. We made new friends, learned about the environment and were kept busy with arts and crafts, sports and team-building activities. I owe at least a debt of gratitude to the Staff and program of the Parks and Recreation department and hope to “pay it forward” for future youth to have the same opportunities we had.

Favorite Parks:

There are so many great outdoor spaces in our community! Aside from Leverich Park, I really enjoying the Burnt Bridge Creek Trail and Greenway, Esther Short Park and the Vancouver Waterfront Park….all for different reasons. Leverage Park is an expansive open space in the midst of the urban environment, and offers the feel of a rural area. Esther Short Park is the ‘family room’ of the urban center of our community where lots of events and activities occur throughout the spring/summer/fall. And the Waterfront Park offers a blend of historical education and place, enjoyment of the Columbia River, and the new urban development of the waterfront. I love it all!