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PARKS & RECREATION
Jozlyn Bridgers, left, slides down the sliding board with Kennedy Bridgers on her lap at Sunset Park. (File Photo)
PARKS and REC
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By Paige Minshew
The Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation Department offers essential services to people in the community who are in pursuit of leisure, entertainment and recreational activities.
Rocky Mount’s Athletics Division offers year-round youth and adult athletic leagues and sporting events. There are approximately 40,000 sports participants served each year with over 100,000 spectators present at athletics facilities.
The Rocky Mount Recreation Services division has two Community Centers. Both are open to the public and booking a room is easy. They are the South Rocky Mount Community Center at 719 Recreation Drive and the Booker T. Washington Community Center at 747 Pennsylvania Ave.
The South Rocky Mount Community Center features a full-length basketball court, outdoor basketball courts, splash pad, playground, football field and a baseball field. In addition to the sports facilities, the community center offers two banquet rooms available for rental. These rooms are perfect spaces or family reunions, wedding receptions, and other events for socializing.
The Booker T. Washington Community Center offers activities for the non-sports individual. This community center offers a computer lab equipped with internet access and the latest Microsoft Software. The facility also offers two banquet rooms available for rental.
Rocky Mount also oversees a system of parks and trails for the community to enjoy. The 7.1-mile City Trail System links several parks, when combined are nearly 300 acres of parkland. The trail system begins in Sunset Park, follows the Tar River through Battle Park, crosses the river into Stith-Talbert Park, travels into Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park and ends at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex.
The Tar River Paddle Trail comprises 10 canoe and kayak locations that connect over 55 miles of the Tar River and Stony Creek.
Sunset Park is probably one of the most popular attractions in the City’s Parks and
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Recreation park system. It features lighted basketball and tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, boat ramp access to the Tar River, 18-hole disc golf course, Little League baseball/softball field, skateboard park, four picnic shelters, playground and a concession stand that serves ice cream, snow cones and many other summer refreshments.
The Amusement Center at Sunset Park is open from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. The Amusement Center includes a historic miniature train, antique carousel, spray play water park and bug kiddie ride. Admission to the center is $5 per person. Children age 4 and under are admitted free of charge.
Of Sunset Park, area resident Veronica Gaines-Lilly says “this park is so peaceful for my early morning walks, especially with the lake in the back. It is so serene, which encourages me to inhale emotional wellbeing and exhale stress and negativity. I enjoy walking here in the mornings.”
Best Friend’s Dog Park is also part of Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation. It’s an off-leash dog park that offers a recreation and dog setting for dog lovers to enjoy. The park consists of nine acres divided into three fenced areas: one for small dogs and two for large dogs. The park is open from dawn to dusk except for scheduled maintenance.
The Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation Department offers a plethora of events for the community that include lawn chair movie series, festivals, live theater performances, yoga, art classes and gallery exhibits.
The Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation Department caters to those who want to participate in athletics, those who want to socialize, hang out with dogs or learn a new skill. Its mission is to “advance the quality of life by providing positive, inclusive experiences through: People, Parks and Programs.”
With the diverse amount of opportunities offered, it truly meets its mission.
Kimber Dail, left, attempts to hand-feed ducks with her father, Steven Dail, at City Lake Park. (File Photo)
Jonathan Bryant Jr. encourages his family’s female Yorkie mix Abby to jump over the low bar in the agility area at Best Friend’s Dog Park. (File Photo)
