Community Builder Spotlight: Krystal Alpers
Krystal Alpers, who has served as Franklin Parks and Recreation Director for the past 13 years, is a community builder through and through. In her time in Franklin, Alpers has founded (and continues to run) the Bessie Rowell Community Center and, more recently, joined the board of directors of Mill City Park.
Alpers is a longtime resident of Bristol who grew up in Sanbornton, New Hampshire. She has been working for the City of Franklin’s Parks and Recreation Department since 2009, during which time she has been involved in many projects which have helped the community — such as running the Franklin Parks and Recreation’s Summer Program out of the Bessie Rowell Community Center, spearheading cleanup and restoration of the Odell, Stone, and Daniel Parks, and the restoration of the Bessie Rowell playground, and is a partner and supporter of the Franklin Coed Adult Softball League.
Alpers is a creative, outside-the-box thinker. For example, she recalls the moment she suggested to the then-City Manager, Elizabeth Dragon, that the city should move the community center to the former Bessie Rowell School site: “[Dragon] basically said that I was crazy! And, I said, ‘I know I’m crazy, but I think it’s a really good idea.’”
Alpers has found a kindred spirit in Mill City Park Executive Director Marty Parichand. Both of them have a tendency to come up with ideas that don’t always align with the status quo. So, when Parichand came to town with his dream of turning Franklin into a whitewater destination, Alpers’ ear was a receptive one.
“I do truly think that [Mill City Park] is going to be an amazing thing for the city both economically and developing toward where we need to go, as well as just bringing Franklin to the map, which I think will be amazing.” — Krystal Alpers
Alpers believes that the community has a bright future, and it is unique ideas, like the white water park, that will help this city improve. As Alpers told us, “I think [Mill City Park] is phenomenal! I’m super excited about it. I think it’s very creative and very unique.”
When Alpers talks about Franklin and about her work in the community, her commitment to the community is evident. In fact, when given the opportunity to take a job outside of the city, Alpers declined.
“Honestly, when I had an opportunity to move on, and I said, No. I said, I want to see this whitewater park through.” — Krystal Alpers
Community revitalization requires persistence and staying power, along with sometimes unique perspectives and ideas. For Franklin’s revitalization efforts to succeed, the city is lucky to have a core group of committed citizens like Alpers and Parichand who are in it for the long haul.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Alpers organized Franklin’s adult softball league. The Franklin Adult Coed Softball league is in fact organized by League President Kyle Kaplan.
This article was written by Thomas Berger, Sierra Jean, and Tom Morgan.
The Telling True Stories Project is a Proctor Academy production.
