Published: April 04, 2009 08:32 pm      

As summer approaches, New Albany-Floyd County parks offer something for everyone

Go out and play

For many, summer can’t come soon enough. The warm weather and sunny skies are an invitation to enjoy the great outdoors.

The New Albany-Floyd County Parks Department might have what you are looking for.

The city and county system has 20 facilities, which includes 700 acres of greenery. And those parks are loaded with all the amenities you would expect — 13 of the locations have basketball courts, 12 have playgrounds and eight have shelter houses. Two — Sam Peden Community Park and Bicknell Park — have walking paths.

Parks Director Roger Jeffers said many of the facilities saw plenty of use in the past year — his first as director. He said with the sluggish economy, he expects even heavier use this summer.

“There is a lot to do without spending a lot of money,” Jeffers said. “Last year, with the high gas prices, we had a lot of people in our parks because a lot of them couldn’t afford to drive anywhere.”

Jeffers said there are plenty of options for residents to choose from when it comes to city and county parks. And most activities are free. Even those that carry a fee — including shelter house rental — are affordable to most, he said.

“The economy probably helps us because the parks are getting more use. People are staying closer to home,” Jeffers said. “Some of our parks get more use than others, but that is a good problem to have. We have plenty of green space to offer.”

County Commissioner Mark Seabrook is impressed with the parks department and what it has to offer.

“I think we have an excellent parks department. For a city and county this size, we have a lot to offer,” he said. “The only negative is I wish we had more money devoted to it.”

Fellow commissioner Chuck Freiberger agrees.

“It is nice for the community to be able to go to the parks for leisure activities. I really believe the parks are very important for the community,” he said.

Jeffers said he spent a lot of his first year getting to know the community and its people.

While the parks department has plenty to offer, there are still holes which Jeffers and the board hope to fill in the next five years. The main project this summer will be to fix the cracks at all 16 tennis courts.

“If you are going to have tennis courts, you have to maintain them,” Jeffers said. “You have to stay on top of things, or they can get away from you.”

Last year, a disc golf course was built at Garry Cavan Park in Edwardsville, and Jeffers said it has gotten a lot of use.

Two other big improvements were made in 2008. The parks department moved its offices to the Southern Indiana Sports Center, at 620 Park East Blvd., and there are no longer any personnel at the Ekin Avenue Center, although the facility is still open for gymnastics, ping pong and rentals.

Another jewel has been the renovation of the Griffin Street Activities Center. The building has been upgraded and a new fitness room for adults has been added. The building also is rented out for birthday parties and other events.

“We’re really pleased with the way that turned out,” Jeffers said.

A pool is still at the top of the long-term wish list.

Last year, the parks board decided to close Camille Wright Pool, the city’s public pool, for several reasons — the main one being it consistently lost money, in part because of upkeep costs. City and county officials are looking for locations to build a new pool, although that likely won’t happen for some time. Near the Ohio River or in Community Park have been two sites mentioned as possible new homes for a pool.

“We just don’t want something — we want something that is going to last 30 or 40 years down the road,” Jeffers said. “We have to plan for the future.”

Jeffers said he also would like to see a park developed on the east side of town, in the Charlestown road area.

While the parks budget has not increased, Jeffers said his department does what it has to do to give residents something to be proud of and facilities that offer plenty of activities.

“We get by. We do the best we can with what we have. You can’t spend what you don’t have,” he said.



Getting kids to the parks

Letty Walter, a retired educator who has been involved with the parks department for decades, said area parks do have one glaring absence — kids. She said there was a time when the city and county parks would be filled with kids playing games. But today, that is no longer the case.

“Kids don’t play today,” she said. “You just don’t see them out like you used to. I don’t know what the answer is to that.”

Walter, who has a park named in her honor along St. Mary’s Road, said the parks department does a great job with the funds it has to work with.

“Anymore, just cutting the grass and keeping them looking nice takes up a lot of the budget,” she said. “Parks departments and animal shelters are always at the bottom when it comes to funding.”

She said she loves to drive by a park and see kids playing soccer or other games.

“They say what goes around, comes around,” she said. “I hopes kids come back to the parks.”



BY THE NUMBERS

700 — number of acres owned by NA-FC Parks Department

20 — number of NA-FC Parks Department facilities

13 — number of NA-FC parks with basketball courts

12 — number of NA-FC parks with playgrounds

8 — number of NA-FC parks with shelters

3 — number of NA-FC parks with tennis courts



MORE INFORMATION

• For information about New Albany-Floyd County Parks Department facilities or programs, call 812-948-5360. The department’s main office is at 620 Park East Blvd., New Albany.