Love notes from Renton – and why you’ll love it too

Love notes from Renton – and why you’ll love it too

The four community members in our new “Meet Your Renton Neighbor” series share one overwhelming trait: Their genuine love for the Renton community.

Outdoor activities, downtown business support, dedicated co-workers and learning opportunities are just some reasons they say Renton is a great place to live, work and play—and not just on Valentine’s Day.

The Gene Coulon Memorial Park waterfront is a big draw for Marvice Thornton, Renton High School math teacher.

“And where else is there a library over a river?” she said, referring to the uniquely situated King County Library downtown branch over the Cedar River. “I love how much there is to do here.”

Love for Downtown Renton drives business growth for Kenny Rogers. The Renton native owns Rain City Catering at the Renton Pavilion and, just a block away, Rain City Market, opening in 2022.

“The city of Renton respects the small fish rather than focusing on large corporations,” Kenny said. “The city wants small businesses here, and that will be the key to success.”

At Valley Medical Center, credit for successfully caring for the community during the pandemic goes to Valley’s dedicated staff members.

“They are a delight to work with. We’re darn good at what we do, and we work hard together,” said Dr. James Park, chief medical officer. “Healthcare improvements will continue when you have people committed to making things better.”

Personal growth and learning opportunities are tops on Doug Medbury’s mind. He is Renton Technical College’s culinary program dean, plus he leads the school’s continuing education program.

“Continuing education has so much potential. We want to offer more short-term training and get people started on a career,” Doug said.

He’s been part of the college for 34 years and is as enthusiastic as he was in year one.

“I love Renton. There’s a strong community feel and natural beauty. I don’t think I’ll be moving anytime soon.”

Read more about why business owners and community members love Renton.