Well, quite a bit actually. The City of Greeley department that brings you so many programs, facilities, festivals, and quality of life functions and for which I am proud to be the Director of, has made a slight evolutionary change. You probably won’t notice the change as a resident as we continue to provide the best services and offerings of public facilities to you as we possibly can. However, Leisure Services is no more in Greeley. We are proud to announce that we will now be known as the department of Culture, Parks, and Recreation. Whether you know it or not, our Department provides Culture (UCCC, Public Art, Greeley History Museum, Centennial Village, Plumb Farm, Meeker Home, Festivals), Parks (Island Grove Regional Park, 4 community parks, 26 neighborhood parks, 4 athletic parks, 2 dog parks, open space, trails, Community Forestry, Linn Grove Cemetery), and Recreation (Boomerang and Highland Hills golf courses, Greeley Recreation Center, FunPlex, Ice Haus, Senior Center, Rodarte Center, and all programs contained within the Recreation Connection program guide). This change was made recently as Parks operations were administratively moved to this department after being separated for nearly 20 years. We are
now one big happy (and very busy!) family. But I digress … what I most want to share with you is that summer is upon us and that your free time should, as much as possible, be about fun, wellness, connecting with the outdoors, and family activities!
I recently read about a “Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights” in California and was impressed by the simplicity of the concept and yet the absolute power it represented. All children, by the age of 14, should have the opportunity to explore and participate in 10 basic activities at least once. Based on this concept of an “Outdoor Bill of Rights,” I offer you the following and challenge you to complete your own top 10 list this summer:
1. Discover history – explore Centennial Village and our “Cowboys and Cattledrives” program!
2. Splash in the water – enjoy the Splash Parks at Island Grove and Sunrise Parks!
3. Play in a safe place – take in any one of our 29 playgrounds through our beautiful park system!
4. Camp under the stars – this one you can do in your own backyard! Or… take in a night of camping at Island Grove on June 8 and 9 as a part of the Greeley Blues Jam (minimal fee applies)!
5. Explore nature – check out the Poudre Learning Center and the Poudre River, go on a bug hunt, watch a spider web, or install a bird feeder in your backyard!
6. Learn to swim – check out our swim lesson programs at Greeley’s pools!
7. Play on a team – we’ve got offerings year round either through the City of Greeley or with one of our many youth sports partners – baseball, softball, soccer, football, basketball, volleyball, hockey, and more!
8. Follow a trail – 21 miles of the Poudre Trail from Island Grove to Windsor!
www.poudretrail.org
9. Catch a fish – fishing in any lake within Greeley parks is permitted – just follow the State of Colorado’s fishing regulations (Division of Parks and Wildlife)
www.wildlife.state.co.us/Fishing
10. Celebrate heritage - developing ethnic literacy fosters pride in one’s own culture and a respect and appreciation for the uniqueness of others. (Education World, 2007).
Whatever you do this summer, I wish you happy outdoor recreating!