Parks

Gene Herring feeds the wildlife at City Lake Park in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.

By Patrick Mason

Looking for ways to spend time outdoors in Rocky Mount shouldn’t be overwhelming.

The warm weather, which exists throughout most of the year, is inviting to those looking for adventures outside of the home.

Standard options like going for a run, or a stroll in one of the many parks are always available. Other avenues like playing basketball or tennis can are options. With nearly 50 parks within the eastern North Carolina town, the options are endless.

Sunset Park, which sits along the Tar River, is complete with a sand volleyball pit, tennis courts, basketball courts, a skate park and even a kid-friendly spray park which offers a way to cool off from the summer heat. The spray park operates from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day, and even has concessions for those staying a while.

The food options range from popcorn to ice cream and snow cones.

Sunset park was even fitted with a miniature train that offers rides to up to 36 passengers, and a carousel back in 1952. Both survived a 1999 flood.

“It’s a good environment for the kids to play,” said Tanisha Daniels, who was at the spray park during a recent weekday with her three children. “You don’t have to worry about them as much as you would a pool. We had a sprinkler growing up when I was a kid, and this gives them a taste of that.”

Speaking of pools, Denton Street Pool, a public swimming option, is open and available to use for $3 per session. Each session is two hours long, ranging from time slots 10 a.m. to noon, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Eight competitive swimming lanes, water slides, diving boards and even a spray area make this a popular option in the summer.

In addition to wet ideas, a nearby dog park with three pens, including an enclousure for small dogs, another for larger dogs and a third pen complete with an agility course.

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Briana Jackson, 10, left, holds Essence Gilchrist, 2, as they come out from underneath a waterfall at Denton Street Pool. Jeremiah Bulluck, 11, center, jumps to high-five Rocky Mount Senior Police Officer Joseph Palmer, left, as he scores a run during the Badges for Baseball game at Buck Leonard Park.

The park is open to all from dawn to dusk, with a mission statement to “offer the citizens of Rocky Mount a safe area to interact with their canine companions; ultimately designed to advance the humane treatment of dogs and responsible pet ownership,” according to the website.

The park has enjoyed lots of success and has attracted pet owners from across Eastern North Carolina.

More, still, is a disc golf course that wraps 17 holes around Sunset Park. People play the course throughout the day and come from all over.

Tim Brandt, a 46-year-old Wilson resident, was tugging a rolling bag filled with different discs. He and his daughter, Allison, were on hole three, playing the course for the second time in as many days.

“We love to come out here,” Brandt said. “We came out here one day last year, kind of bonded together over our shared interest in picking up new hobbies.”

Allison said she remembers playing with a Frisbee on various family vacations to the beach and figured that picking up disc golf with her father would be a fun challenge.

“We’re not really that good,” she said. “But it’s become a pretty addictive sport. You can play around trees, and the dog park is nearby so you sometimes see some cute puppies. It’s just nice to spend a few hours outside when you have time.”

Left: Jazeivyon Wright, 3, plays on a slide Tuesday at Sunset Park. Above: Wilbur rolls around in the leaves Monday afternoon at Best Friend’s Dog Park. 2018 | LIVING HERE | 45

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