WAYZATA – After 40 years of service with the City of Wayzata, Kurt Klapprich has retired from his role in public works but will continue as a volunteer firefighter. Listen to a full-length audio interview with Kurt here:
Klapprich began working for the city on March 18, 1985. A lifelong Wayzata resident and third-generation public servant, he brought to the role not just skill, but heart.
“I grew up here in Wayzata, so it was something I cared about—my community,” he said. “And it seemed like a good job.”
Staying Power and Service
Asked if he ever imagined staying with the city for four decades, Klapprich smiled.
“I really did not,” he said. “I thought I was just going to work there for a while and then move on to something else. But it just fulfilled everything that I like. I like my town, and I love working and helping people.”
Over the years, he’s watched Wayzata change dramatically.
“When I started working there, the public works garage was down where the parking ramp is on Mill Street,” he said. “It had a cement bay for the mechanic, but the rest of it was a dirt floor. And where McCormick’s is now—it was a gravel parking lot. Down on the other end of Lake Street, further west, there was a lumberyard and bulk oil tanks.”
He’s seen the old 1960s-style Bay Center give way to five-story buildings. “Pretty abrupt change,” he said.
The Rink, the Beach, the Trash Cans
Though major projects like Lake Street and the lake walk were contracted out, Klapprich and his crew had a hand in nearly everything.
“We all had parts and pieces where we were coordinating and had a hand in making it happen,” he said. “Just all the stuff that’s gone on, mostly in the downtown.”
He also did the daily work most residents rarely think about—but always rely on.
“As a parks department, we service about 80 trash cans around town. We don’t have any big parks like some of the surrounding cities, but we’ve got tennis courts that we try to keep clean, the bocce ball courts, and we inspect playgrounds, the boardwalks, and the docks so people can use them safely.”
And in the summertime? “We rake the beach seven days a week for weeds. Clean public bathrooms. It’s not all just mowing grass and plowing snow.”
The Skating Rink Standard
Among all the tasks, Klapprich may be best known for setting the standard at Wayzata’s beloved outdoor skating rink.
“We always had the skating rink, and we didn’t do anything with it on weekends,” he recalled. “So it took us until about Wednesday to get good ice back down there.”
It was then-Mayor Barry Petit who advocated for seven-day-a-week maintenance—something Kurt supported wholeheartedly.
“It was just so worth it to do that,” he said. “It’s like anything else—you maintain it, and it doesn’t get too far out of whack. It’s so well-renowned. You go out there and see sweatshirts from Mound, Eden Prairie, Maple Grove… People know it’s kept up to a good standard, and they come in and love to skate there.”
A Fire Department Tradition
Klapprich will continue to serve the Wayzata Fire Department after already logging 43 years.
“It’s probably just a little bit more of helping people,” he said. “It’s a learned behavior. I don’t know how long my grandfather was on, but my dad was on for 49 years. My older brother has been on for 47. And I’ve been on for 43.”
“It’s very rewarding to go and help people—sometimes at their worst moment. If nothing else, offer a hug.”
The Hardest Day
When asked about the most difficult moment in his career, he didn’t hesitate.
“When my brother passed away,” he said quietly. “I worked with him for—yup—20-some years. It was one of those things—when I left the funeral and went back to work… I knew that all his coworkers were hurting too. That was probably the most challenging.”
“Lots of people would ask you questions, say they were sorry for your loss and whatnot. But to go and work with those same folks you’d been working with—minus a loved one—was not much fun.”
His brother Cookie passed away from undetected heart disease in his sleep. “Fortunately, he didn’t suffer,” Kurt said. “I don’t think he knew anything was going on. He was a proactive guy. If something was wrong, I think he would’ve gone to the doctor.”
Advice for the Next Generation
What would he tell someone just starting in public service or city maintenance?
“It’s pretty much all about relationships,” he said. “If you’re going to be out there, it’s better to go the extra mile—do more rather than less. It’s far more rewarding to build allies than enemies. Even if it’s maybe not completely your job—if you can help out in some way, people really do appreciate it.”
“People—whether we know it or not—are always watching what’s going on out there.”
What’s Next
Klapprich plans to take some well-earned time off even as he continues to serve on the Fire Department.
“I’m gonna take a little bit of time to not have to be anywhere for a while,” he said. “Then I’ll probably volunteer at Chamber events. And who knows—I might go back and be the rink guy down at the skating rink this winter.”
He and his wife, Steph, plan to spend more time at their family cabin and hope to travel to Arizona this fall to visit her dad. “Maybe we’ll go on a trip over the winter sometime,” he added.
Just this week, Kurt was named Grand Marshal of the James J. Hill Days Parade.
“The Chamber ladies asked me to stop by the Depot—they said it would just be short,” he said. “And they kind of surprised me. They read a poem to me, and in the poem was asking me to be the Grand Marshal.”
“I’m honored. So many people do so many good things for our community. They could’ve picked any number of people. I’m honored they chose me.”
Listen to the Full Interview
To hear Kurt’s full story—in his own words—Wayzata.com invites you to listen to the exclusive audio interview included with this post. It’s a heartfelt conversation about legacy, change, service, and love for a town he helped care for with humility and quiet pride.
Listen in—and the next time you walk past Klapprich Park, or lace up your skates at the rink—think of the man who spent 40 years making Wayzata feel like home.
