ANN ARBOR, MI — There’s a reason Ann Arbor’s new parks manager sports rainbow-colored shoelaces, matching the bracelet around his wrist.

“I believe in equality, I believe in inclusion,” Josh Landefeld said, noting his daughter’s soccer club has a pride laces program in support of LGBTQ inclusion and he wants to be the leader of a parks department that’s welcoming to everyone.

“I want us to be more intentional about reaching out to the various communities within Ann Arbor to support and provide opportunities, whether it’s in our facilities, in our natural areas — just make it more welcoming and inclusive for all,” he said.

After over six years as Ann Arbor’s deputy parks manager under manager Colin Smith, Landefeld stepped into the top role on an interim basis earlier this year when Smith retired. He has since dropped “interim” from his title, with the city choosing him to officially take over the job.

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Landefeld said he feels fortunate to be the parks manager in his hometown, in charge of a world-class park system. Ann Arbor boasts over 160 parks totaling over 2,200 acres, including fields and courts for various sports, disc golf and regular golf courses, canoe and kayak liveries, dog parks, swimming pools, ice arenas, a skatepark and lots of nature areas, including extensive trails up and down hills along the Huron River.

Landefeld spoke with MLive/The Ann Arbor News this past week at Olson Park, a popular destination park on the city’s north side that didn’t exist when he was growing up off Pontiac Trail. He remembers when Dhu Varren Road was still a dirt road and before the north side was as heavily developed as it is…