JOHNSON CITY PARKS AND RECREATION
CARVER PEACE GARDEN: PLANTING A LIFESTYLE
ADMINISTRATION HIGHLIGHTS
ATHLETIC DIVISION HIGHLIGHTS
PARK SERVICES DIVISION HIGHLIGHTS
GOLF DIVISION HIGHLIGHTS
RECREATION SERVICES DIVISIN HIGHLIGHTS
A Walk in the Park Your Parks and Recreation Connection I S S U E
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Carver Peace Garden: Planting a Lifestyle There is a special garden near downtown Johnson City where those proficient in the cultivating craft are sharing their knowledge and inspiring youngsters to reap what they sow. Master Gardeners with the Northeast Tennessee Master Gardener Association are meeting once a week this fall at the Carver Peace Garden with kids in Carver Recreation Center’s summer and afterschool programs. The goal: to teach them effective scientificbased gardening techniques in order to be lifelong gardeners. Children have opportunities to plant, care for and harvest their own vegetables. They also observe other gardeners’ plots to learn about plant care, biodiversity, ecosystems, basic gardening skills and the satisfaction of growing your own plants and vegetables. Fall plantings include broccoli, spinach, collards, chard and other lettuces. “The goal of the Carver Youth Gardening Program really is to help them become lifetime gardeners,” Shilling said. “There are studies that show gardening is therapeutic and helps to decrease stress. They also get to see the value of following good practices, and the activity provides the freshest, best-tasting vegetables available. It helps to have some professional teachers on the team, because they make it more fun for the children.” The Carver Peace Garden was created in 2006. For a small fee, individuals, families or groups can rent garden beds to grow flowers or vegetables, working their garden bed to take their harvests for themselves or donating them. In 2020, Carver Supervisor Herb Greenlee and Shilling conceived the idea of transitioning the way crops were grown from traditional in-ground to raised-bed gardening. A group of like-minded gardeners with various backgrounds came together to develop a site plan and pull the project together with support from the Johnson City Parks and Recreation Department. Once a garden with only six in-ground plots, the Carver Peace Garden has grown to more than 70 4’x4 and four 4’x8’ raised-bed gardens. Many gardeners rent beds at Carver due to conditions at their homes not being suitable for raising plants. This may be due to poor soil conditions and/or limitations of sun or plot size. East Tennessee State University Quillen Medical Students also care for a bed and for several years have donated their harvests to the city’s One Acre Café.
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Administration Highlights ~
The Wall of Fame Banquet will be held on Thursday, Dec. 8 at MPCC.
PRAB will not meet in November or December. Please welcome our new Promotions and Events Coordinator Tayler Dixon.
Athletic Highlights ~
Youth basketball is underway for ages 6-16 with 227 current signups.
Adult basketball registration underway at WDP athletic tower.
Adult softball leagues finished tournaments play.
Rally Cats Tennis underway at Pete Zannis Tennis Complex at Liberty Bell.
Youth Softball tournaments start the first week of November.
Upcoming weekend tournaments include Conley Fletcher’s Future Stars of Sports Halloween Classic & Father/Daughter-Father/Son Tournament for muscular dystrophy.
Park Services Highlights ~
Fertilizer and seed were placed on the fields.
Cleanup and work has begun on the purchased house above Winged Deer Park.
Splash pads were closed and winterized.
Work on the Carnegie Park playground continues.
Mow crew has been trimming trees and shrubs.
Golf Highlights ~
October 15th-ETSU P.O.L.O Outing
October 17th-Men's Senior League – 10 a.m. Shotgun
A WALK IN THE PARK YOUR PARKS AND RECREATION
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Recreation Services Highlights ~ MPCC -
Washington County and Johnson City fall break camps had 20-30 children each who swam, watched movies, played games and enjoyed arts and crafts.
Celebrated National Pancake Day, National Cupcake Day and observed Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and women loved our photo booth and took bracelets and ribbons to honor all women at I Pink I Can Day.
Our therapeutic classes continue to be strong with 20 participants per class, and the Couch to 5k run, Start Smart Soccer, mountain biking camp and tennis lessons continue.
On Oct. 20, we hosted our first Howl-O-Ween Pet Celebration for dog owners with a pet costume contest and treats.
Nature
With a triple partnership including the expertise of the ETSU Biology Department, Nature helped educate 70+ people on Spider Adaptations held at the Johnson City Public Library.
Carver -
Kids in the Carver Recreation Center Afterschool Program had a great start back after being on fall break, painting pumpkins to get them in the Halloween spirit.
Senior Services Highlights ~
Seniors hosted the Feeling Groovy Health Fair with about 150 participants and the Country Hoedown with about 50 folks enjoying barbeque and square dance music.
Began Appalachian Trail Mix with a virtual walk on the Tennessee section of the Appalachian Trail with 28 participants.
“To catch the reader's attention, place an interesting sentence or quote from the story here.”
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Administrative Office - Winged Deer Park - 4137 Bristol Highway - Johnson City, TN Phone: 423-283-5815 Fax: 423-283-5829 Email: jcparksinfo@johnsoncitytn.org - Website: www.johnsoncitytn.org Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter and Instagram
Upcoming Events Oct. 15 - USA Halloween Havoc - Winged Deer Park
Nov. 11 - Glam Hollywood/Girls Night Out - MPCC
Oct. 20 - Howl-O-Ween Pet Celebration - MPCC
Nov. 11,12,13 - NSA One-Pitch World Series - Winged Deer Park
Oct. 21, 22, 23 - Future Stars of Sports Halloween Classic - Nov. 17 - Thanksgiving Dinner – Carver Recreation Winged Deer Park Center Oct. 27 - Youth Basketball Coaches Meeting
Nov. 29 - Youth Basketball Games Begin
Oct. 28, 29, 30 - Winged Deer Park Complex Closed
0ec. 1-19 - Santa’s Mailbox - MPCC
Oct. 28 - Spooktacular Pumpkin Glow Stick Swim - MPCC Dec. 2– Daddy Daughter Dance Flash Sale - MPCC
Oct. 29 - Super Spooky Saturday Fall Festival - MPCC
Dec. 6 - Adult Basketball Games Begin
Oct. 29 - Youth Basketball Games Begin
Dec. 8 - Holiday Movie Night - MPCC
Oct. 31 - Annual Halloween Festival - Carver Recreation Center
Dec. 8 - 10-year Celebration Week - MPCC
Nov. 5 - USA Turkey Trot Classic - Winged Deer Park
Dec. 13 - National Cocoa Day - MPCC
Nov. 8 - Youth Basketball Practice Begins
Dec. 16 - Holly Jolly Rudolph Christmas Party - MPCC
Nov. 11 - National Sundae Day - MPCC
Dec. 17 - Cookies and Crafts With Santa - MPCC