The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
GET READY TO HAVE FUN
City welcomes new and old programming for summer
This summer, Elyria residents can expect to enjoy all the fun outdoor activities such as swimming, outdoor sports, camps and possibly a new spray park at West Park and South Park.
The city is offering swim lessons for ages 3 and up at the East Pool, 1005 Prospect St., and the North Pool, 901 Duffey St. Classes are offered in Learn to Swim, Diving, Parent and Tot and Adult, according to Parks and Rec Director Lisa Bowman.
“The sessions will be July 10-19 and July 31- Aug. 9; each will have eight classes at 40 minutes each,” she said. “Classes meet Monday through Friday of the first week and Monday through Wednesday of the second week.
“We are trying to push these swim lessons because I am a strong believer of kids learning how to swim. We offer private or group lessons and we have opening for days and nights.”
In addition, the city will be offering its Reach and Rise Discovery Camps for boys and girls ages 6 through 17.
“It’s one of our main things we offer each summer,” she said. “They are inexpensive camps that go for $10 for the week and it includes breakfast, lunch and they also get a field trip and swimming. It’s an eight-hour day.”
Bowman said she wants to encourage the Explore Lorain County Camp, Elyria Firefighter Basketball Camp and Motivational Leadership Basketball Camp, all at South Recreation Center and YTeen Smart Girls Leadership Camp at the Elyria YWCA.
“It’s the middle school, high school students we are trying to reach,” Bowman said. “The Leadership camps are good because they teach children Elyria’s West Park located at 1200 Foster Ave., on June 20. The city will be constructing a new spray park by late summer, according to the Parks and Recreation Director Lisa Bowman.
self respect and confidence. The Explore Lorain County Camp is fun because children get the opportunity to take field trips around Lorain County.”
Back for another year is the 59th annual Elyria Safety Town, a program designed to teach safety lessons both at school and at home to youth entering Kindergarten in the Fall, Bowman said.
The last session is June 26 through June 30 at Northwood Middle School.
Residents also can expect concerts every Thursday
from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Ely Square Gazebo.
“They are very well attended,” Bowman said.
There is not only programs for children, but also for adults. The city has an Active People program designed for all men and women who want to stay active, renew old friendships and make new ones. The program is free and funded by Community Development Block Grant, she said.
“We offer yoga, modified volleyball, shuffleboard,
pickle ball, line dancing, free blood pressure checks and a golf league,” Bowman said.
The city also has a number of summer sports leagues for resident to enjoy.
For Elyria’s Bicentennial, there will be a big event July 3.
“It’s the bicentennial fireworks celebration at West Park. There will be fireworks going off at 10 p.m., but prior to that we are going to have bands, a bubble station for the kids, a juggler, a balloon artist
and we will give away red, white and blue necklaces. It’s kind of a big bicentennial old fashion family picnic,” she said.
If it rains on July 3, the event will be moved to July 7.
The Elyria Parks and Recreation will hold its 4th annual Golf Classic at 1 p.m., Aug. 21, at the Oberlin Golf Club.
“It’s to help us support our programs and it has been really successful,” Bowman said. “Last year, it helped us redo the East Park Basketball Courts and
this year, we want to do the Abbe Road Courts. From the money raised from the event we get to pick a project on each side of the town to do something great.”
The golf outing has raised over $5,000 to $8,000 each year, she said.
The city also welcomes a new spray park with Issue 6 and block grant money. In April, Bowman said the plan is to have the spray park ready by late summer.
The spray park at South Park will come after the city receives the block money grant.