Joe Barnes has served the City of Canton for more than 23 years. He spent the bulk of his
career with the Street Department before transitioning to Parks and Recreation nearly four years ago. According to Parks Superintendent,Dan Kunz, Joe is, “an all-around good guy to work with and a valued and reliable member of the Parks team.” Some of Joe’s proudest contributions have come from recent projects including the Community Crossing Bridge in Stadium park near 12th Street, and the dredging of Stadium Pond improving its overall ecosystem.

A Sandy Valley native, and self-proclaimed “country boy”, Joe has always enjoyed being
outdoors, especially as an avid runner. He runs about 16 miles a week and has competed in several marathons. Although Joe loves being out in the parks, his true love is his family. Joe, and his wife Karen, celebrate 40 years of marriage this year. They have two children, Kristy and Matt, and three grandchildren.