Shawnee County Parks and Recreation - "The Guide" (Fall 2017) by Shawnee County

Fall 2017

Apple Festival becomes two-day event in 2017! Inside:

Take a trip back to the 1800s 4 Pg.

Fall Festivals & Events 2 Pg.

MEET YOU THERE!

Fall / THE GUIDE / parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

Contents

Programs 08

Preschool

FEATURES Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 02 Old Prairie Town Tours . . . . . 04 DEPARTMENTS

Youth Activities

Helen Hocker Theater . . . . . . . 10

Preschools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Adult Activities

Trails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Adopt-a-Park/Trail . . . . . . . . . 13 Volunteer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Senior Activities

Fitness Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Golf Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Fitness & Wellness

Sports

Kossover Tennis . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Facility Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Old Prairie Town . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Regional Parks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Topeka Zoo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Seasonal Programs

parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

Registration

Choose from one of the many classes, activities, sports or other programs offered through Shawnee County Parks + Recreation and we’ll make it easy for you to register! • To register online, go to parks. snco.us and click the Online Registration icon. • Forms may also be mailed, walked in, phoned in or faxed to any Shawnee County Parks + Recreation facility.

Cancellation

Programs may be combined or canceled due to insufficient enrollment. Enrollees will be notified by phone or mail for acceptance, transfer, credit or refund. Please provide a valid email address. Receipts are issued via email.

Refund

A full refund or account credit will be issued for programs or shelter reservations canceled by Shawnee County Parks + Recreation. All refunds follow the County Treasurer’s bill-paying schedule and will be issued by County check. There are no cash or credit card refunds.

Shelter reservation refunds • 10 percent service fee for reservations canceled with 14 days notice • No refunds will be issued for cancellations with less than 14 days notice * Policy subject to change

Sports refunds

• 10 percent service charge with 21 days notice prior to start of program • 40 percent service charge with less than 21 days notice

Refund Requests

A Refund Request Form must be completed by participant. Forms are available at parks. snco.us, Shawnee County Parks + Recreation community centers, administrative offices or by calling 251-6800 and form can be mailed or emailed to participant.

Apple Festival

goes to two-day event in 2017

Wheatstock becomes part of Apple Festival Due to its popularity, Apple Festival will become a two-day event in 2017: Sept. 30-Oct. 1. The Wheatstock music concert will become part of Apple Festival to make this one of the best fall festivals in northeast Kansas. “More than 6,000 visitors attend this event each year,” says John Bell of Old Prairie Town/Ward-Meade Historic Site “With the additional day being added to the event, we are anxiously looking forward to an even bigger event in 2017.”

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Events Fall ‘17

Sept. 1-3

Sept. 30-Oct. 1

Oct. 21 & 28

Shawnee County Allied Tribes Intertribal Pow Wow

38th Annual Apple Festival

2nd Annual Spookomotive @ Gage Park Mini Train

Lake Shawnee

Sept. 8-10 Huff n’ Puff Balloon Festival Lake Shawnee Free

Sept. 16 Great Topeka Duck Race (Benefit for Sertoma) Lake Shawnee

Sept. 23 Outdoor Kansas for Kids Day

Shawnee North Community Park Nature Trail 10 a.m.- noon Free

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Due to its popularity, Apple Festival will be a two-day event in 2017. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $10 (2 day advance ticket) $5 (1 day advance ticket) $7 (at gate) children 5 & under free

Oct. 6 Shawnee County Parks and Recreation Foundation Golf Tournament

Family Friendly 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Nov. 17 & 18

Festival of Crafts

Formerly Shawnee North Community Center craft show established in 1978.

Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Fri. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Free

Lake Shawnee Golf Course

Nov. 4

Oct. 14

8th Annual Tails on the Trail 5K

Art Show “Study of the Masters”

Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Family Friendly Sat. 2-4 p.m. Free

parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

Halloween in Gage Park PROJECT TERROR: A HAUNTED HOUSE EXPERIENCE

Project Terror is a multi-room haunted house experience sure to terrify and have you running for the door. It rivals Halloween attractions found in Kansas City. Date: Fri. & Sat. nights, October 13-28 *Halloween Night, 7-11 p.m. Time: 7 p.m. – midnight Fee: $15

PROJECT HALLOWEEN

A fun, spooky adventure for kids of all ages

Nov. 22-Dec. 31

Dec. 9

Winter Wonderland

Children’s Shopping Spree

Lake Shawnee Suggested donation $10 6-10 p.m.

Dec. 1, 2, 8 & 9 Holiday Happenings

6-9 p.m. (Doors open at 6 p.m. dinner is served at 6:30 p.m.) $35 per person (includes Victorian dinner, dessert, tour and entertainment)

Dec. 2 Holiday Craft Show

Crestview Community Center 251-6960 9 a.m.-3 p.m. $50 Booth Fee Free

Garfield Shelter House 251-6950 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free

Dec. 9 10TH Annual Candy Cane Hunt

Enjoy s’mores, hot chocolate, games and candy cane hunt. Bring a flash light and bag. Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Family Friendly 5:30-7 p.m. $3 per person

Date: Oct. 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29 Time: Saturday 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Sunday Noon–4 p.m. Fee: $5

2ND ANNUAL SPOOKOMOTIVE AT GAGE PARK MINI TRAIN

This delightful, not frightful train is just the ticket for the family. Enjoy a slightly spooky ride. You never know who you might see along the way. Age: Family Friendly Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Date: Oct. 21 & 28 Fee: $1.50

SPOOKY PLAYGROUND

The spooky playground at Kansas Children’s Discovery Center has mysterious science and seasonal sensory activities for you! You can get messy in the spider fluff, pop ghost bubbles, feel the gooey nature of spaghetti guts and see flying chemistry ghosts! This is definitely a playground you will not want to pass over! Date: Oct. 21 & 28 Time: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Fee: Free with admission or membership

BOO AT THE ZOO Topeka Zoo

Date: Oct. 21 & 28 Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Fee: Regular zoo admission

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TAKE A TRIP

BACK TO THE 1800S $5 tour affords fascinating trip through pioneer life

Nestled at the end of a neighborhood street at 124 NW Fillmore in Topeka sits one of Shawnee Countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hidden gems â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Ward-Meade Historic Site. Tour guide Kevin Logan will tell you that more people from out of state and outside of the country visit Old Prairie Town and Ward-Meade Botanical Garden than do people from the local community.

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parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

Those who haven’t been to Old Prairie Town are missing a trip back into the 1800s through the life experience of Anthony Ward and his wife Mary Jane. The early settlers came to Topeka from Ohio in 1854. Anthony Ward purchased 240 acres of land along the Kansas River from a member of the Potawatomi tribe. He combined three separate cabins into a single home where the couple lived for 16 years while raising six children, although there are differences about the number of children and other family details. Combining the three cabins placed a fireplace at each end to warm the home in the winter. During the hot summer, the family slept outdoors, Logan explains. The middle section of the cabin includes a set of double doors which enabled Ward to pull wagons inside. He worked as a wheelwright, a combination blacksmith and carpenter, repairing settler’s wagons as they headed west. The price was 3-cents per wagon. If a candle sitting in the window was lighted at night, it meant that weary travelers could stop in and Mary Jane would feed the women and children. She would not feed the men but would serve them coffee. The cabin’s accoutrements include a timber bed cinched together with rope. Mattresses in the day might be made by stuffing a blanket with leaves, brush and dirt. In the kitchen, where meals were cooked in a fireplace, settlers used pig fat to make candles. The candle forms stand among many tools of the day. The family bathed once a week in a small metal tub with the entire family using the same bathwater.

Ward Cabin & family

The Ward cabin is one of two centerpieces of an 1800s replica village known as Old Prairie Town. The village features a church, the Potwin Drug Store with a dentist and physician’s office upstairs, a one-room schoolhouse, the Charles Sheldon Study, a barbershop, the Mulvane General Store, the Pauline Depot and the Lingo Livery Stable. The buildings in the village are named primarily for the locations from which they came.

The favorite stop in the tour is the Ward-Meade Mansion which is on the National Register of Historic Places. It took Anthony Ward four years to finish the house in 1874. He lived in it for one year before he died. Once inside the mansion, Logan explains that the formal parlor was used only at Christmas, for family funerals and when the founding fathers of Topeka came to meet. The main parlor features a portrait of Mary Jane Ward above the fireplace. There are no known photographs of Anthony Ward. Mary Elizabeth Meade’s wedding items sit in display box atop a desk. On an 1878 piano sit photographs of women who were married in the mansion. Still today, the mansion’s courtyard, the garden and the Everest Church at Old Prairie Town are popular wedding venues. The dining room features a warming stove on which rest two pies. Food was cooked in the cabin and then transported to and kept warm in the mansion. Upstairs, the girls bedroom features dolls and dresses of the period. The master bedroom includes quilts that are original to Mary Jane’s daughter Jennie and John Mackey Meade. Different members of the Meade family lived in the mansion until the 1960s.

Ward-meade mansion

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everest church pauline depot

potwin drug store

The village’s church stood for 117 years in the Brown County community of Everest near the Nebraska border. The stained glass windows in the rear of the church bear the words Father, Price and Mother. Thomas Price was the first pastor of the former Episcopal Church. He and his wife Catherine were known as Father and Mother Price. The bell in the church steeple can be rung today. Services are held and weddings are performed in the church.

DID YOU KNOW? • A wheelright in the 1800s charged 3-cents to repair covered wagons for settlers • Dentures cost 5-cents • “Runners” who delivered telegraphs were paid in soda pop

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Another favorite stop on the tour is the Potwin Drug Store where visitors of all ages can enjoy ice cream treats from the old-fashioned soda fountain or purchase some old-fashioned candy, some of which can’t be found in stores anymore. An apothecary stands in the rear of the store. Old prescriptions and shelves of medicine bottles can still be viewed. Upstairs in Dr. Carl J. Fyler’s dentist’s office is a chair with a foot pump that turned a drill at 500 rpm. Modern dentist’s drills spin at 10,000 rpm. There is a counter where dentures were made at a cost of 5-cents. A portable dentist’s chair meant that house calls were made as well. In Dr. Robert Durst’s office stands a desk with a stethoscope and other tools above which are displayed photographs of the first four midwives in Kansas. An old-fashioned examination table is joined by a display table featuring one of the first hot water bottles – made of metal – one of the early high blood pressure monitors, a batterypowered EKG and one of the earliest versions of a centrifuge which is spun by cranking a handle.

The village’s train depot came from the community of Pauline just south of Topeka after it closed in 1982. It was built in 1910 for $985. Inside are a ticket window, telegraph and various versions of lanterns that were used to light train engines and cars. Outside is a railroad hand car used to give rides during Apple Festival and other events. According to Logan, 12-to-15-yearold boys would watch trains and earn money transporting travelers’ trunks since suitcases were not yet used. The same youth might run telegraphs to recipients around town. They were paid in soda pop instead of money.

Victor Schoolhouse

The one-room Victor Schoolhouse came from near Rossville. Ward-Meade volunteer Doug Martinek actually attended the school as a youth. His initials remain carved in the top of one of the student desks. School children today can tour the 125-year-old school and scribe on slates just as children did in the 1800s.

lingo livery stable

Mulvane general store

Charles Sheldon Study

The tiny structure belonged to the Congregational pastor who wrote a series of sermons that became the book “In His Steps.” The work popularized the phrase “What would Jesus do?” A crowdfunding campaign is helping renovate the study into a museum to house some of Sheldon’s personal artifacts from his work dedicated to social equality. Sheldon once took under his wing a young man and mentored him and provided him with an education. The man’s son, Charles Sheldon Scott, became one of the attorneys who argued the famous Brown vs. Board of Education case. While the tour lasts about 1 1/2 hours, a trip to the Ward-Meade Historic Site is not complete without a stroll through the secluded 2.5-acre botanical garden. Winding paths lead through 10,000 annual plants and flowers (40,000 tulips during Tulip Time in April), an Asian garden, national hosta and day lily display gardens, water features, arbors, a gazebo and a monarch butterfly way station. Tours are available at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. $5 tickets may be purchased at the Mulvane General Store. For information, call 251-6989.

Next to the train depot stands the Lingo Livery Stable. The stable was critical to pioneers needing to care for their animals. It houses such 1800s vehicles as a Wells Fargo stage coach, Landau Carriage, covered wagon and ice cream wagon. It also houses the quilt show during the annual Apple Festival at Old Prairie Town.

The Mulvane General Store gets its name from the street on which it once stood. It serves as the village’s mercantile and museum as well as the modern day gift shop featuring unique gifts, souvenirs, Kansas items and toys from yesteryear.

OLD PRAIRIE TOWN TOURS Mon.-Fri.: 10 a.m., Noon, 2 p.m. Sat: Noon, 2 p.m. Sun: 2 p.m. Adults: $5 Seniors (55+): $4 Children 6-12: $3 5 and under: Free Summer THE GUIDE /

PROGRAMS Preschool TODDLER OPEN GYM Groups are welcome. Fee: Free

Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Thur. 9-10:30 a.m. Garfield Community Center 251-6950 Time: Tue., Thur. 10-11:30 a.m. Hillcrest Community Center 251-6956 Time: Wed. 9:30-11:30 a.m. Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Time: Thur. 9-10:30 a.m.

TAP DANCE

Fee: $30 per person per session Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Date: Sept. 9-Oct. 7, Oct. 21-Nov. 18, Dec. 9-Jan. 6 Time: 10:30-11 a.m.

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Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Date: Sept. 7-Oct. 5, Oct. 19-Nov. 16, Nov. 30-Dec. 28 Time: Thur. 6:30-7 p.m.

TUMBLING

Basic movement and coordination, increases flexibility and motor skills. Fee: $30 per person per session Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Date: Sat. Sept. 9-Oct. 7, Oct. 19-Nov. 18, Dec. 9-Jan. 6 Time: 9:30-10 a.m. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Date: Sept. 7-Oct. 5, Oct. 19-Nov. 16, Nov. 30-Dec. 28 Time: Thur. 5:30-6 p.m.

BALLET 1

Develop coordination, rhythm and basic ballet moves. Fee: $30 per person per session Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Date: Sept. 9-Oct. 7, Oct. 21-Nov. 18, Dec. 9-Jan. 6 Time: Sat. 10-10:30 a.m. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Date: Sept. 7-Oct. 5, Oct. 19-Nov. 16, Nov. 30-Dec. 28 Time: Thur. 6-6:30 p.m.

STORY TIME â&#x20AC;&#x201C; TSCPL CLASS

Storytellers visit Crestview, read books, sing songs and teach learning activities. Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Date: Sept. 14, Oct. 12, Nov. 9, Dec. 14 Time: Thur. 10:30-11 a.m. Fee: Free

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PRESCHOOLERS ON THE GO

Organized activities work on large motor skills just for the fun of it. Outdoor Action – Sept. 13, 27 Kick It – Oct. 11, 25 Bounce Time – Nov. 15, 29 Time: 5:30-6:15 p.m. Fee: $9 per session Central Park Community Center 251-6965 Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Garfield Community Center 251-6950 Hillcrest Community Center 251-6956 Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676

Youth Activities TAE KWON DO – SUN YI’S ACADEMY INSTRUCTOR

Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 BEGINNERS Time: Tues. 6-7:30 p.m. Fee: $30 per month ADVANCED Time: Tues. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Fee: $30 per month

KARATE - OKINAWAN SHORIN-RYU

Crestview Community Center 251-6960 BEGINNERS Time: Tue., Thur. 6-7 p.m. Fee: $30 per month ADVANCED Time: Tue., Thur. 6-7:30 p.m. Fee: $42 per session

K ARATE

Central Park Community Center 251-6965 Time: Mon., Wed. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Fee: $30 per session

ADVANCED TUMBLING

Building on basic tumbling skills. Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Age: 5-7 yrs. Date: Sat. Sept. 9-Oct. 7, Oct. 19-Nov. 18, Dec. 9-Jan. 6 Time: Sat. 9-9:30 a.m. Fee: $30 per person

JAZZ DANCE

Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Age: 6-9 yrs. Date: Sept. 6-Oct. 4, Oct. 18-Nov. 15, Nov. 29-Dec. 27 Time: Wed. 6:30-7:15 p.m. Fee: $30

TAP AND BALLET 2

Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Age: 6-9 yrs. Date: Sept. 6-Oct. 4, Oct. 18-Nov. 15, Nov. 29-Dec. 27. Time: Wed. 5:30-6:15 p.m. Fee: $30

THEATER CLASS

During this eight-week program staff from Helen Hocker Theater will work with participants on a play to be preformed for parents on the last day of class. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Age: 7-12 yrs. Date: Sept. 27-Nov. 15 Time: Wed. 4:30-5:30 p.m. Fee: $30

GINGERBREAD HOUSE CREATIONS

Participants decorate their own house. All supplies included. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Age: Family Friendly Date: Dec. 2 Time: Sat. 9-11:30 a.m. or 1-3:30 p.m. Fee: $25 per person

WINTER BREAK

Fun activities with SCP+R staff. Sign up for one day or all three. Central Park Community Center 251-6965 Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Garfield Community Center 251-6950 Hillcrest Community Center 251-6956 Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Age: 6-12 yrs. Date: Dec. 27, 28, 29 Time: Drop Off 7:15-9 a.m. Pick Up 4-5:30 p.m. Fee: $15 per Day

YOUTH OPEN GYM

Fee: Free Central Park Community Center 251-6965 Time: Sat. noon-3 p.m. Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Mon. 1-5 p.m. Tue.-Thur., 3-5 p.m. Fri., 1-5 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m.-noon Garfield Community Center 251-6950 Time: Mon.- Fri. 3-6 p.m. Hillcrest Community Center 251-6956 Time: Mon.- Thur. 3-6:30 p.m. Fri. 3-5:30 p.m. Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Time: Mon.-Fri. 3-5:30 p.m. Rice Community Center 251-6976 Time: Mon.- Thur. 3-5:30 p.m.

SCHOOL DAY OUT

Go online for your school district day out activities at the nearest center or call 251-6800.

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Adult Activities BEEKEEPER CLASS

Project Terror:

A Haunted House Experience October 13-28 Fri. & Sat, 7-11 p.m. Halloween Night, 7-11 p.m. Purchase tickets at the door $15 Project Terror is a multi-room haunted house experience sure to terrify and have you running for the door. It rivals Halloween attractions found in Kansas City. Actors, sets, costumes and props transform the theater and bring the entire production together for a haunt to remember.

Sorry! Wrong Chimney!

Dec. 1-10 David Tuttle is moonlighting as a department store Santa so that he can buy his wife a fur for Christmas. He tells her he’s working late at the office, but she finds out he isn’t at the office. A suspected other woman, hypnotism, the notorious Santa burglar Kris Kreigle and his gun-toting fiancée, and a confused policeman add up to a rollicking tale that is hilarious at Christmas or anytime entertainment.

Theatre for Youth

Ramona Quimby Sept. 15-24 Unpredictable. Exasperating. Boisterous and independent. That’s Ramona Quimby for you. Always aggravating her older sister, Beezus, constantly getting into trouble and sometimes “making a big, noisy fuss” when things don’t go her way. As narrator, Beezus (Beatrice Quimby) introduces the Quimby family and friends and thereby sets the scene for the collection of vignettes that trace Ramona’s tumultuous passage through third grade and through her family relationships.

PROJECT HALLOWEEN Oct. 14-29 Date: Oct. 14, 21 & 28 (Sat.) Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Purchase tickets at the door $5

Master beekeepers, Steve & Becky Tipton offer exciting opportunities in beekeeping. Explore hive construction, installing the bees, and hive management up until harvest time. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Date: Oct. 18 Time: Wed. 6:30-8 p.m. Fee: Free

OIL AND ACRYLIC PAINTING

Learn the basics of oil or acrylic using the Old Masters technique. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Date: Sept. 6-27, Oct. 4-25, Nov. 1-15 Time: Wed. 9:15-11:15 a.m. or 1-3 p.m. Date: Sept. 7-28, Oct. 5-26, Nov. 2-16 Time: Thur. 1-3 p.m. Fee: $40 per person

TAE KWON DO – BEGINNERS & ADVANCED

All classes family friendly check youth classes for dates and times. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676

K ARATE - OKINAWAN SHORIN-RYU

All classes family friendly. Check youth classes for dates and times. Crestview Community Center 251-6960

K ARATE

All classes family friendly. Check youth classes for dates and times. Central Park Community Center 251-6965

AIRPLANE CLUB

Enjoy flying or watching indoor remote control planes. Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Thur. 10:30 a.m.-noon Fee: Free

For more information www.topekacivictheater.com/onstage/helen-hocker

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parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

FOUR SEASONS OF DORNWOOD

We will begin a four-part seasonal series of guided trail walks this fall through Dornwood Nature Area. You will learn about plants, trees, birds and history. Dornwood Park Age: Family Friendly Date: Fall, Sept. 9 Winter, Dec. 30 Time: Saturday 10 a.m.-noon Fee: $5 per person per session

Shawnee County

Trails

BIRD WATCHING

Discover some of the prevalent bird species of eastern Kansas with this guided walk through Warren Nature Area near Felker Park. Bring your own binoculars, water and insect repellent. No restroom facilities available. Age: Family Friendly Date: Sept. 16 Time: Sat. 9-11 a.m. Fee: $5 per person

PRAIRIE PLANT WALK II

Bring the whole family out to enjoy the fall equinox on Burnett’s Mound at Skyline Park with a guided trail walk featuring wildflowers, native plants and a spectacular view. Skyline Park Age: Family Friendly Date: Sept. 22 Time: Friday 6-7:30 p.m. Fee: $5 per person

Adaptive Recreation DANCE HOUSE

Spend an evening with your friends. Dance to music from Solid Rock Sound Machine. Big Gage Shelter House 251-6953 Age: 16+ Time: Thur. 6-8 p.m. Date: Sept. 14, Oct. 12, Nov. 9, & Dec. 14 Fee: $ 5 per person

Shawnee County Parks + Recreation’s more than 50 miles of trails offer a leisurely stroll with side ventures into beautiful gardens, or a hike, run or mountain bike ride up hilly terrain leading to panoramic views of the county. There are more than 27 miles of paved trails and more than 26 miles of natural surface trails running through forested, prairie and open natural areas. Shawnee County Parks + Recreation is continually increasing the number and length of trails in our community while connecting as many trails as possible. Shunga Trail – 8.5-mile paved concrete pedestrian/bicycle trail beginning at SW 29th and McClure and continuing east to SE 2nd. The trail will eventually stretch across Topeka.

wooded areas. The first quarter-mile is asphalt paved for accessibility. Shawnee North Community Park also has a .8 mile paved fitness loop trail encircling the west side of the park.

Lake Shawnee Trail – 7-mile paved concrete pedestrian/bicycle trail encircling the lake.

Deer Creek Trail – 2-mile trail from SE Golden to SE 6th and SE 6th to SE 10th.

Dornwood Nature Trail – 9.9 miles of natural surface, woodland hiking trails accessible from SE 25th and Highland.

Grant-Bradbury – Located west of Forbes Field, 2 miles of natural surface trails run through 80 acres of virgin prairie that has never been plowed. The area includes hundreds of native prairie species, some of which are scarcely found elsewhere in the state.

Landon Trail – 4.75-mile paved and gravel trail along an abandoned railroad track running from SE 15th to SE 45th. Azura Trails at Skyline Park – Four single-track loop trails comprising 4.7 miles of natural surface trails through wooded and prairie areas. Warren Nature Area – 4 miles of natural surface trails beginning at SW 25th and Gage east of Felker Park. The trail includes a wetland to slow and clean runoff water from streets and neighborhoods. Many birds, mammals and aquatic species can be found here. Welton Grove Park – 3 miles of natural surface trails. Shawnee North Nature Trail – 2-mile natural surface trail on undeveloped parkland comprised of grasslands and

Soldier Creek Trail – 1.8-mile paved concrete bicycle/pedestrian trail from NE Garfield Park to NW Lyman Road. Orville Rice Nature Trail – 1-mile mowed grass single track trail following Shunga Creek from SW Gage to Shunga Glen Park. Oakland-Billard/Santa Fe Park Trails – 1.6 miles of paved trail. Freedom Valley – .75-mile concrete path. Clarion Woods Trail – 1.54 miles of single-track trail through a red cedar forest. Brookfield Park – .3-mile paved trail.

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Bright Circle Preschool Betsey Litscher 785-235-1033 Bright Circle is a KDHE licensed preschool program serving children 3-5 years old. We’ve been educating preschool-aged children for more than 30 years! We believe that children learn best through the natural play environment. The early years of a child’s life are most important because that is when the characteristics of their personalities and their own self-image develop. We strive to provide appropriate activities to develop each child socially, emotionally, physically and cognitively. Through these activities, children are encouraged to learn through play, and develop their skills through self-learning, peer education and teacher-directed activities. We value not just learning, but the love of learning as well. In order to ensure individual attention, class size is limited to 15 students. A $35 non-refundable registration is required; tuition of $11 per day is collected at the beginning of each month. Velma K. Paris Community Center, 6715 SW Westview Rd *Mon., Wed., Fri. 9-11:30 a.m. Tue., Thur. 9-11:30 a.m. Other classes will be opened as the need arises. Lake Shawnee Recreation Building, 3325 SE Tinman Circle *Mon.,Wed.,Fri. 9-11:30 a.m. Tue., Thur. 9-11:30 a.m. *Mon., Wed. 1-3:30 p.m. Tue., Thur. 1-3:30 p.m. *We have reserved the Mon., Wed., Fri. morning and Mon., Wed. afternoon classes for only kindergarten-bound students. This promotes a more efficient environment.

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TDC’s Creative Learning Adventures Preschool 300 NE 43rd St. Sharon Botsford, director 785-286-0676 or 785-272-5051 www.learnplaygrow.org TDC’s Creative Learning Adventures is a state-licensed preschool program serving children 3-5 years old, Aug.-May. TDC Learning Centers, Inc. has been providing high-quality, affordable early education in the Topeka community for more than 50 years! Weekly themes combined with a research-based curriculum ensure that children are having fun while learning and being prepared for kindergarten. Play and positive interaction with teachers and other children support social, emotional and intellectual growth. Special curriculum components encourage nutrition, physical fitness and socio-emotional growth. Our program spans all areas of a child’s development, offering a well-rounded, highquality learning experience. Class sizes are small, with a maximum of 12 children per session. We have two classrooms that are located in the Shawnee North Community Center. Parents are our partners and are encouraged to participate in classroom activities. Parent/teacher conferences are held twice each year where parents help develop their child’s Individual Education Plan. Developmental assessments are conducted twice each year and children who are kindergarten-bound have an additional school-readiness assessment. Children must be 3 years old and fully potty trained to participate. Four different class times are offered: Mon., Wed., Fri. 9-11:30 a.m. Tue., Thur. 9-11:30 a.m. Mon., Wed. 1-3:30 p.m. Tue., Thur. 1-3:30 p.m. Tuition: $50 non-refundable registration fee/ $75 maximum for family. Class fees are $12 per session. A $40 annual supply fee covers all supplies and snacks. We reserve the right to cancel sessions if they do not fill.

Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library Classes COMPUTERIZED GENEALOGY

This class is for all levels of experience. Learn to use print and online resources Fee: Free Central Park Community Center 251-6965 Date: Sept. 11, Oct. 9, Nov. 13, Dec. 11 Time: Mon. 5-6 p.m. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Date: Sept. 7, Oct. 5, Nov. 2, Dec. 7 Time: Thur. 10-11:30 a.m.

BOOK GROUP

Monthly book chat at Crestview. Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Date: Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, Dec. 13 Time: Wed. 1-2 p.m. Fee: Free

QUICK AND EASY PRINTMAKING

Learn how easy it is to make your own prints using common household materials. Materials provided. Fee: Free Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Date: Sept. 6 Time: Wed. 1-2:30 p.m. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Date: Sept. 28 Time: Thur. 9-10:30 a.m.

WOOL FELTING

Felting is a popular craft these days, but it is also the oldest known method for making fabric! Make a felted “painting” while learning the traditional method of wet felting. Materials provided. Fee: Free Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Date: Oct. 4 Time: Wed. 1-2:30 Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Date: Oct. 26 Time: Thur. 9-10:30

parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

GINGERBREAD HOUSES

We will make tiny gingerbread houses using graham crackers, candy, and royal icing. This is a simple, fun holiday activity you can do with family over the holidays too. Fee: Free Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Date: Nov. 1 Time: Wed. 1-2:30 p.m.

HOLIDAY COOKIES

Let’s make holiday cookies. The library will provide cookies, icing, and decorations. You provide the creativity. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Fee: Free Date: Nov. 23 Time: Thur. 9-10:30 a.m.

JAPANESE PAPER MARBLING

SENIOR SERIES

Stay informed on relevant topics. Speakers present a new topic each month. Bring a lunch and stay to continue the discussion. Time: First Wed. of the month 11 a.m.-noon Fee: Free Sept. 6 Medication Information Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Oct.4 Nutrition Central Park Community Center 251-6956 Nov. 1 Financial Advice Hillcrest Community Center 251-6960 Dec. 6 Fraud and Scam Awareness Shawnee North Community Center 251-6965

Learn how to make beautiful decorated paper using only Suminagashi inks and water. This ancient Japanese marbling technique is simple to learn and lots of fun. Materials provided. Fee: Free

Jan. 3 Fitness Crestview Community Center 286-0676

Crestview Community Center Date: Dec. 6 Time: 1-2:30 p.m.

Coffee and cards provided. Fee: $1 per person per week Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Time: Fri. 1-3 p.m.

Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Date: Dec. 28 Time: Thur. 9-10:30 a.m.

Senior BRIDGE

Feb. 1 Health Information Garfield Community Center 251-6950

PITCH

Garfield Community Center 251-6950 Time: Tue. 1-3 p.m. Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Thur. 1-3 p.m.

SENIOR SHUFFLEBOARD

Coffee and cards provided Central Park Community Center 251-6956 Time: Tue. 12:30-4 p.m. Fee: $1

Central Park Community Center 251-6965 Time: Thur. 10 a.m.-noon Fee: $2 per person

SENIOR BASKETBALL

TRIVIA @ CRESTVIEW

Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Mon. 6-8 p.m. Fee: $2 per person

Come out smart your friends or learn some new facts. Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Tue. 10-11:30 a.m. Fee: $1 per person

Adopta-Park/ Trail Shawnee County Parks + Recreation’s Adopt-A-Park/Trail program is designed to encourage the community to take a handson approach to helping keep the county’s parks and trails clean, safe and attractive for residents and visitors through debris pick-up and beautification activities. The program promotes civic pride, appreciation, awareness and enhances the quality of life in our community.

For more information

contact Olivia Mayer, Volunteer Services Coordinator 785.251.6825 olivia.mayer@snco.us

Fall / THE GUIDE /

Fitness & Wellness ADULT OPEN GYM

Volunteer! Shawnee County Parks + Recreation has a variety of opportunities for volunteers to help beautify and preserve our natural environment, serve the community, raise awareness, develop new skills and meet new people! Parks • Gardens • Trails Education • Facility Maintenance Cultural + Historical • Tour Guides Events • Coaching • School Projects Administrative

Fee: $2 per person Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Tue. & Thur. 1-3 p.m. Garfield Community Center 251-6950 Time: Mon.-Fri. noon-3 p.m. Hillcrest Community Center 251-6956 Time: Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Time: Mon.-Fri. noon-3 p.m.

WELLNESS CENTER

For more information

contact Olivia Mayer, Volunteer Services Coordinator 785.251.6825 olivia.mayer@snco.us

/ THE GUIDE / Fall

Open year-round during center hours. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Hillcrest Community Center 251-6956 Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Fee: $50 per year adults $25 per year students Fitness Passes can be used for drop-in visits.

PICKLEBALL

Be a part of one of the fastest growing sports in America! Fee: $2 per person Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Time: Mon.-Wed, Fri. 10 a.m.-noon Crestview Community Center 251-2960 Time: Wed. 1-3 p.m.

OPEN VOLLEYBALL

All skill levels welcome to drop in. Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Mon., Wed., Fri. 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Fee: $2 per person

PRIME TIME VOLLEYBALL

Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Tue. 7-9 p.m. Fee: $2 per person

parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

Fitness Pass Classes Current calendar @ parks.snco.us under the recreation and leisure tab.

HYPNO YOGA

Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Mon., Wed. noon-1 p.m.

GENTLE YOGA

Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Tue., Thur. 10-11 a.m.

EASY DOES IT YOGA

Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Tue., Thur. 5:30-6:30 p.m.

WEEKEND YOGA

Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: Sat. 8:30-9:30 a.m.

GENTLE YOGA FOR SENIORS Central Park Community Center 251-6965 Time: Tue., Thur. 9-10 a.m.

YOGA

Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Time: Tues., Thur. 6:30-7:30 p.m.

BATTLE ROPES

Hillcrest Community Center 251-6956 Time: Tue. 6-7 p.m.

HIP HOP WORKOUT

Hillcrest Community Center 251-6956 Time: Thur. 6-7 p.m.

Sports

FITNESS PASS

Pilates • Yoga • Zumba and more Valid at SCP+R Facilities: • Central Park • Hillcrest • Shawnee North

• Crestview • Oakland

Pilates • Yoga • Zumba and more

Good for 20 visits Phone: 785.251.2600 Website: parks.snco.us

Your Class • Your Schedule • Your Location

FITNESS PASS

Fitness Pass Pilates • Yoga • Zumba and more

Valid at SCP+R Facilities:

Come and go on a schedule Good for 20 visits Crestview that works•• Oakland for you!Phone: 785.251.2600

• Central Park • Hillcrest • Shawnee North

Website: parks.snco.us

Shawnee County Recreation Your Class • Your Parks Schedule+• Your Location is offering an easy way to be fit and stay healthy on aPASS schedule that works for you! FITNESS The Fitness Punch Pass enables Pilates • Yoga • Zumba participants and moreto try a variety of classes on the days and times that work for their Valid at SCP+R Facilities: own schedules. No more Good worrying for 20about visits • Central Park • Crestview adhering to class times and locations. • Hillcrest • Oakland Phone: 785.251.2600 • Shawnee North

Website: parks.snco.us

On line schedule updates available.

Your Class • Your Schedule • Your Location

A 5-punch card is available for $20.

Or, commit PASS to your fitness plan and FITNESS

purchase a 10-punch card for $40 or a 20-punch card for $80.

Valid at SCP+R Facilities:

participants say: visits Good for •Fitness Central ParkPass• Crestview •• Hillcrest • OaklandI canPhone: “I like it because take different 785.251.2600 • Shawnee North Website: parks.snco.us

Yoga classes on different days.” Your Class • Your Schedule • Your Location • “I like the flexibility because I don’t come as regularly. I don’t feel pressured to use up my pass [because FITNESS PASS it doesn’t expire].” • “I used to have to buy two [yoga] sessions to attend classes on different Valid at SCP+R Facilities: days. Now I can just use my pass.” Good for 20 visits • Central Park Crestview • “This allows•• Oakland me to go to other yoga • Hillcrest Phone: 785.251.2600 classes elsewhere in theWebsite: city. parks.snco.us I like • Shawnee North having the•flexibility.” Your Class Your Schedule • Your Location Fitness Punch Pass benefits: • Try a variety of classes • Bring a friend/share a punch pass • Choose the class that fits your schedule • Take advantage of a great value • Passes never expire • Good for any Parks + Recreation fitness class listed Exercise benefits: • Fitness classes help you de-stress • Exercise can improve your memory • People who work out regularly get sick less often • Sleep better after working out • Changing up your classes/fitness routine keeps you fresh

Valid at SCP+R Facilities:

Youth

• Central Park • Hillcrest • Shawnee North

• Crestview • Oakland

Good for 20 visits

Phone: 785.251.2600 Website: parks.snco.us

Your Class • Your Schedule • Your Location Sports Office: 251-6970

PASS LEAGUE YOUTH FITNESS BASKETBALL

• Yoga • Zumba Players willPilates be and placed on teams which more will practice once during the week and Valid at SCP+R Facilities: play games on Saturdays. Individual Good for 20 visits • Central Park • Crestview or team registrations accepted. • Hillcrest • Oakland Phone: 785.251.2600 • Shawnee North Website: parks.snco.us Registration deadline is Dec. 6. Age: 4-14 yrs.Your Class • Your Schedule • Your Location Date: Jan. 13-Feb. 24 (Sat.) PASS Fee: $40FITNESS per person Pilates • Yoga • Zumba and more

SCABA BASEBALL

Valid at SCP+R Facilities: Shawnee County Amateur Baseball Good for 20 visits • Central Park • Crestview Association serves youth baseball • Hillcrest • Oakland Phone: 785.251.2600 athletes of• Shawnee varying Northage groups. Website: parks.snco.us Individual or team registrations Your Class • Your Schedule • Your Location accepted. Deposit ($250) deadline is Jan. 24. Deadline for paperwork and FITNESS PASS remaining fee is March 1. Age: 6U-14U Date: April 2-July Valid at SCP+R20 Facilities: Good for 20 visits Fee: $85/person $1,400/team • Central Park for • 6U; Crestview • Hillcrest • Oakland Phone: 785.251.2600 for 7U-8U; $1,575 for 9U-14U • Shawnee North

Website: parks.snco.us

Your Class • Your Schedule • Your Location

YOUTH SPRING SOCCER

Participants will be placed on teams PASS which will FITNESS practice once during the week and play games on Saturdays. Individual or team registrations at SCP+R preferred Facilities: accepted. Valid Choose league Good for 20 visits • Central Park •deadline Crestview location. Registration is Feb. 7. • Hillcrest • Oakland Phone: 785.251.2600 Age: 4-14• Shawnee yrs. North Website: parks.snco.us Date: April 7-May 5 (Sat.) Your Class • Your Schedule • Your Location Fee: $40 per person

Adult Sports Office 251-6970

ADULT VOLLEYBALL LEAGUE-SESSION 4

Women’s and CoRec volleyball leagues play a six-week season with 12 matches. Players must register as a team and submit roster prior to first game. Registration deadline is Oct. 11. Age: 16+ Date: Nov. 1-Dec. 22 Fee: $150 per team-competitive $80 per team-recreational

Fall / THE GUIDE /

Shawnee County Parks + Recreation

Foundation MISSION:

The Shawnee County Parks & Recreation Foundation exists to enhance the park and recreation experience in Shawnee County through charitable contributions of time and resources. Your tax-deductible contribution to this 501(c)(3) can be directed into specific funds or endowments supporting the long-range preservation of various Parks + Recreation facilities. Please consider giving today.

Projects supported by generous gifts include: • • • • • • • •

Adaptive Recreation • Lake Shawnee Girls Softball Bettis Family Sports Complex • Natural Areas & Trails Dornwood Park • Old Prairie Town Gage Park & Gardens • Shawnee County Baseball Hall of Fame Golf Courses • Shawnee Yacht Club Hanger Preserve • Ted Ensley Gardens Helen Hocker Theater • Topeka Horseshoe Association Kossover Tennis Center • Youth Scholarships

ADULT BASKETBALL LEAGUESESSION 5

Men’s basketball leagues play a sevengame season. Players must register as a team and submit a roster prior to first game. Registration deadline is Oct. 11. Ages: 16+ Date: Nov. 1-Dec. 22 Fee: $260 per team

ADULT BASKETBALL LEAGUESESSION 1

Men’s basketball leagues play a sevengame season. Players must register as a team and submit a roster prior to first game. Registration deadline is Dec. 13. Ages: 16+ Date: Jan. 3-Feb. 17 Fee: $260 per team

ADULT VOLLEYBALL LEAGUESESSION 1

SCPRF also offers a memorial bench program to honor your loved ones. For $2,500 you can place a black steel arched back bench with an engraved bronze plaque in one of Shawnee County’s beautiful parks. An application form is available online by clicking on “Ways to Give”.

Women’s and CoRec volleyball leagues play a six-week season with 12 matches. Players must register as a team and submit roster prior to first game. Registration deadline is Jan. 17. Age: 16+ Date: Feb. 19-April 13 Fee: $150 per team-competitive $80 per team-recreational

ADULT SOFTBALL LEAGUESESSION 1

For more information contact Rachel Meyer

785.251.2685 scprfoundation.org

/ THE GUIDE / Fall

Women’s, Men’s, and CoRec slow-pitch softball leagues play a four-game season or an eight-game season. Players must register as a team and submit a roster prior to first game. Registration deadline is Feb. 14. Age: 16+ Date: March 19-April 20 Fee: $130 per team for 4 games or $260 per team for 8 games

parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

Seasonal Programs CHILDREN’S SHOPPING SPREE

Garfield Shelter House 251-6950 Time: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Date: Dec. 9 Booth Fee: $40 Admission: Free

FESTIVAL OF CRAFTS

Formerly Shawnee North Community Center craft show established in 1978. Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Time: Fri. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Date: Nov. 17 & 18 Booth Fee: $60 Table Rental: $5 Admission: Free

HOLIDAY CRAFT SHOW

Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Date: Dec. 9 Booth Fee: $50 Admission: Free

O.K. KIDS DAY

Hike the Shawnee North Trail with activities along the way. Activities include s’mores at the campsite, nature mural painting, stream testing, Kansas animal education, archery, bird scavenger hunt, prize drawing at noon, animal track casting and more. Shawnee North Trail 286-0676 Age: Family Friendly Time: 10 a.m.- noon Date: Sept. 23 Fee: Free

2ND ANNUAL SPOOKOMOTIVE @ GAGE PARK MINI TRAIN

Golf

Courses Lake Shawnee 4141 SE East Edge Road 785.251.6840 www.lakeshawneegolf.com The par-70 layout at Lake Shawnee Golf Course measures more than 6,300 yards from the back tees. Many of the course’s holes combine breathtaking views and the challenges of playing alongside Lake Shawnee. The manageable length of the golf course and affordable anytime rates make Lake Shawnee Golf Course your best choice for golf in the region. Cypress Ridge 2533 SW Urish Road 785.251.6870 www.cypressridgegc.com Cypress Ridge Golf Course offers a challenge for golfers of all ages and skill levels. Located at the western edge of the Capital City, Cypress Ridge offers 6,200 rolling yards of excellent golf with affordable anytime rates. It is located 1 ½ miles west of the Wanamaker corridor just south of 21st Street on Urish Road.

Forbes 700 SW Capehart Road 785.862.0114 www.forbesgc.com Forbes is a nine-hole, par-36 layout in southeast Shawnee County. Measuring 3,253 yards, the course offers a relaxed atmosphere for golfers of all skill levels. Featuring three sets of tees on a links style layout, the course can be challenging for the experienced, yet easy enough for beginners. FootGolf Along with traditional golf, Forbes offers FootGolf, a unique blend of the popular sports of soccer and golf. The game is played with a soccer ball on the golf course but with separate greens featuring 21-inch diameter cups. The goal of FootGolf is to kick the ball in the hole with the fewest strokes possible. The course is set up as an 18-hole par-66 layout measuring 2,057 yards.

*FOOTBALL SPECIALS:

$12 green fees after noon on Saturdays and Sundays during football season at Lake Shawnee and Cypress Ridge.

WINTER RATES:

Mon.-Fri., 18-Holes with Cart Lake Shawnee Golf Course: $22 Cypress Ridge Golf Course: $20 Forbes Golf Course: $16 *Dec. 1, 2017-Feb. 28, 2018

Fall / THE GUIDE /

Kossover Tennis Center

Hours of Operation

The Kossover Tennis Center offers low cost, organized programs and supervised tennis play for the entire community. The Tennis Center is open April 1 – mid-October, seven days a week, except during inclement weather and holidays. Courts are available 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Facility lights are available for use in the spring/summer until 10 p.m. and in the fall until 8 p.m. . Hours are subject to change due to reservation requests and court use.

Daily Court Fees $2 per person per day

Reservations are strongly recommended as leagues, clinics, tennis tournaments and high school activities authorized by Shawnee County Parks + Recreation have first priority on court usage. To make reservations or for more information, please contact Ryan at Kossover Tennis Center at 785.273.0030.

Tennis Lesson Fees

Private lessons: $35 per hour Semi-Private lessons: $20 per hour per person Group lessons: $9 per hour

Racquet Stringing

Racquet stringing service is available at Kossover Tennis Center. Fees range from $23-$35.

Camps and Clinics

Kossover Tennis Center also features tennis camps and youth summer tennis clinics.

8TH ANNUAL TAILS ON THE TRAIL

Topeka’s favorite dog friendly 5K run/walk benefiting Helping Hands Humane Society. Register at www. hhhstopeka.org or check us out on Facebook-Tails on the Trail Shawnee North Community Park 286-0676 Date: Nov. 4

10TH ANNUAL CANDY CANE HUNT

Enjoy s’mores, hot chocolate, games and candy cane hunt. Bring a flashlight and bag. Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Age: Family Friendly Time: 5:30-7 p.m. Date: Dec. 9 Fee: $3 per person

BEDTIME STORY WITH SANTA

Santa will read a story and visit with children. Santa’s favorite snack, cookies and milk will be served after the story. Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Age: Family Friendly Time: 7-8 p.m. Date: Dec. 14 Fee: $2 per person

ART SHOW “STUDY OF THE MASTERS”

Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676 Age: Family Friendly Date: Oct. 14 Time: Sat. 2-4 p.m. Fee: Free

WINTER WONDERLAND

(Benefit for TARC) Nov. 22-Dec. 31 Time: 6-10 p.m. Fee: $10 donation per car

Community Center Room and Gym Rentals ROOM RENTALS

Room rentals are available throughout the year at our community centers. Whether you are having a baby shower, birthday party, family reunion, or staff training we have a room to accommodate your needs. Rentals include access to game tables in lobby. When renting at our facility, you are allowed to bring in food and drink. Fee: $30 per hour Central Park Community Center 251-6965 Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Garfield Community Center 251-6950 Hillcrest Community Center 251-6956 Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Rice Community Center 251-6976 Shawnee North Community Center 286-0676

GYM RENTALS

Gyms are available for rent throughout the year at our community centers. Sport practices, staff team building, tournaments and special event rentals can all be accommodated in our facilities. Fee: $40 per hour Crestview Community Center 251-6960 Garfield Community Center 251-6950 Hillcrest Community Center 251-6956 Oakland Community Center 251-6953 Rice Community Center 251-6976 Fee: $50 per hour Central Park Community Center 251-6965

For more information

on lessons, reservations, tournaments and the Topeka Tennis Association 785.273.0030

/ THE GUIDE / Fall

parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

Rentals

Rentals Facility

Gage Park

Capacity

For baby showers, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and more, Shawnee County Parks + Recreation has a variety of facilities available to rent for all of your family events. For a listing of amenities, availability or to make a reservation, call 785-251-6800 or visit us online at parks.snco.us. Season

Daily

Weekends and Co. Holidays

Big Gage 250 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. During Summer Camp 6 - 10:30 p.m. (Sat.-Sun.) 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Westlake 70 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. Snyderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cabin 70 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. Carousel Room 42 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Party House 30 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. Steak Grill 40 April 1-Oct. 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. Corral #2 40 April 1-Oct. 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. Reinisch Rose Garden 150 April 1-Oct. 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (M-Th.) Fri.-Sun) 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

Lake Shawnee

Shelter #1 120 April 1-Oct. 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. Shelter #2 50 April 1-Oct. 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. Shelter #3 80 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (Sat.-Sun.) each session Shelter #4 120 April 1-Oct. 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. Shelter #5 120 April 1-Oct. 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. Shelter #6 80 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (Sat.-Sun.) each session Garden House 70 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (Sat.-Sun.) 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Garden Pagoda 45 April 1-Oct. 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (M-Th.) (Fri.-Sun.) 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Garden Pergola 90 April 1-Oct. 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (M-Th.) (Fri.-Sun.) 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Reynolds Lodge 200 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (Sat.-Sun.) 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Gazebo #1 75 April 1-Oct. 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (M-Th.) (Fri.-Sun.) 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Lake Shawnee Event Center 200 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (M-Th.) (Fri.-Sun.) 8 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Yacht Club 40 April 1-Oct. 31 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m.

Other Facilities

Crestview Shelter 128 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (Sat.-Sun.) 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Lakewood Shelter 70 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (Sat.-Sun.) 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Garfield Shelter 160 Year-round 10 a.m.-3 p.m. or 5:30-10:30 p.m. (Sat.-Sun.) 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m.

Fee

$220 $200 $440 $85 $110 $135 $70 $65 $65 $175 $350

$70 $85 $110 $150 $70 $70 $110 $150 $165 $400 $175 $350 $220 $440 $165 $450 $220 $440 $300 $600 $85

$150 $350 $150 $275 $150 $350

*No Reservations on 12/24, 12/25, 12/31, 1/1* *All-day reservations on Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving Day (10 a.m.-10:30 p.m.)* *Prices in printed materials subject to change after publication. Visit parks.snco.us for most current information. Fall / THE GUIDE /

Visit

Hours Grounds: 8 a.m.-dusk Office: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mulvane General Store: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Noon-4 p.m. Sun.

Old Prairie

Town

At Ward-Meade Historic Site FEATURING:

1854 replica Log Cabin with Blacksmith Shop, 1870s Prairie Mansion on the National Register of Historic Places and the 2.5-acre Ward-Meade Botanical Garden.

TOWN SQUARE:

Mulvane General Store An old-fashioned mercantile that serves as our museum gift shop and visitors center. Kansas items, toys from yesteryear, souvenirs, and unique gifts are available. Call 785-251-6995. Potwin Drug Store Sit at the marble counter and order a soda fountain treat or shop for vintage-era candy. The drug store building also includes the Durst Physician’s Office and Fyler Dentist Office. Call 785-251-6997. 1880 Everest Church The church can be rented for church services and weddings. Call 785-251-6933.

/ THE GUIDE / Fall

Established in 1963, the 2.5 acre Ward-Meade Botanical Garden contains approximately 500 varieties of trees and shrubs plus annual flowers planted each year. The garden includes many plants requiring shade as well as many unusual specimen plants. It features a National Hosta Display Garden and National Day Lily Display Garden. The area has three water gardens including Anna’s Asian Reading Garden, a stream, a bridge, a gazebo and waterfall. Weddings can be held at this location as well. Call 785-251-6993 for more information.

Potwin Drug Store: 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Noon-4 p.m. Sun. Tours Group tours for 15 or more by reservation only, call 785-251-6993 Monday-Friday: 10 a.m., Noon, & 2 p.m. Saturday: Noon & 2 p.m. Sunday: 2 p.m. Tour Fees Adults: $5 Seniors (55+): $4 Children 6-12: $3 5 and under: Free

SCHOOLHOUSE SESSION

Looking for a unique experience for your class or youth group? Come spend an hour in our authentic one-room Victor Schoolhouse learning about our Kansas country school legacy, ciphering on slates, participating in a spelling bee and playing old-time games.

WEDDINGS AND RECEPTIONS

Make your wedding a historic event! Rental includes decorating and clean-up, a one-hour rehearsal time the night before your wedding and wedding packages include bride’s dressing facilities. The Preston Hale room serves as a back-up for inclement weather. Additional hours may be purchased for $50 each. Call 785-251-6993 for more information. Rental amount total due at time of booking. Package 1 Anna’s Place and Reception $355 3-hour rental including kitchen and Preston Hale room for reception. *No seating available at Anna’s Place.

parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

Visit HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

December 1, 2, 8 & 9, 2017 Join the festive crowd and experience the charm of the beautifully decorated Old Prairie Town at Ward-Meade Historic Site Mansion. Step into the historic mansion and experience an enchanting evening you’ll long remember. Our candlelight dinner is the main course of a magical Victorian evening! An elegant buffet will be served from the dining room of the mansion. Live music will entertain you throughout the evening. Tour the Mansion, and then enjoy hot cider and cookies by the fire in the cabin and hot fudge sundaes in the Potwin Drug Store. Look for future announcements of new events to be held on these special nights. They are sure to become a part of your holiday traditions. Reservations are limited to 72 per evening, and they fill up fast. Reservations accepted beginning Aug. 1. Please call 785-251-6993 for your reservation. Dates: Time: Fee:

Dec. 1, 2, 8 & 9 6-9 p.m. (Doors open at 6 p.m. dinner is served at 6:30 p.m.) $35 per person (includes Victorian dinner, dessert, tour and entertainment)

Package II Courtyard (wedding only) $355 3-hour rental including Preston Hale room. Seating for 100 provided.

a side dish of history, all provided by costumed volunteers. These family-style meals are offered from October 15 through March 15 with reservations for groups of 12-18.

Package III Courtyard and Reception $580 5-hour rental period including kitchen and Preston Hale room for reception. Seating for 100 provided.

Menu Hearth-cooked ham or smoked turkey, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, fruit, Dutch oven baked biscuits, hearth-baked molasses cookies, old-fashioned ice cream, cider and coffee. New additional meal choices are now available. Call 251-6993 for more information.

Package IV Everest Church (wedding only) $495 3-hour rental includes bride’s dressing facilities. Max seating 65. Package V Everest Church and Reception $770 5-hour rental period including kitchen and Preston Hale room. Max seating 65.

MEALS FOR GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS

The following meal programs include two hours room rental. Ward Cabin Hearth Meals $20 per person This unique meal is one of the more popular activities at Old Prairie Town, so make your reservations early! Meals are served at fireside tables in the Ward cabin, and diners are treated to special hearth-cooking demonstrations with

Victorian Dinner $27 per person For a change of pace, enjoy this delightful Victorian meal served buffet-style in the elegant dining room of the 1870’s mansion. Gleaming silver, fine china, crisp linens, and a gracious atmosphere make this an occasion to remember. Choice of entree includes baked ham with cherry sauce or brandicot chicken served with salad, vegetable, potatoes, freshly baked bread and old-fashioned ice cream. Picnic Basket Dinner $15 per person The delicious hot chicken pocket sandwich featuring Old Prairie Town’s own special recipe makes the picnic basket dinner a year-round favorite. Also included in the basket are fruit, cole slaw or potato salad, pickle, cookie, ice cream and a drink.

BIRTHDAY PARTIES AT OLD PRAIRIE TOWN

Celebrate your child’s birthday in a historic yet exciting way. Choose from two party packages. Parties include a volunteer in period costume to lead the party as well as set-up and clean-up. Parties are two hours in length and can be booked any day of the week throughout the year except holidays. Old-Fashioned Birthday Party (Ages 6–12 yrs.) $10 per participant. Minimum 10. Maximum 15. This party is held in our one-room country schoolhouse with old-fashioned turn-of-the century fun. This party includes a “session” with the schoolmarm playing old time games. Guests will share an old-fashioned cake with ice cream and lemonade. We also furnish handcrafted favors, a prize and a tour. Minimum 10; maximum 15. Two hours. Children’s Victorian Tea Party (Ages 6-12 yrs.) $10 per participant. Your child and guests get to dress up in costumes from a “surprise trunk” and will be treated to an elegant birthday tea. We provide finger food and cookies just like food that would have been served in the Victorian era when tea was considered a social event. Minimum 10; maximum 15. Two hours.

Fall / THE GUIDE /

Visit

Regional

Parks Gage Park

Attractions • Mini-Train & Depot (Open mid-March through October – weather permitting) • Carousel in the Park (Open mid-March through October) • Reinisch Rose Garden & Doran Rock Garden • Hazel Von Rohr Victorian Gardens • Blaisdell Family Aquatic Center • All War Memorial • Hill’s Bark Park • Kansas Children’s Discovery Center • Animaland children’s play area • Topeka Metro Bike Stations • Helen Hocker Theater • Topeka Zoo Other Recreational Opportunities • Summer Day Camps • Accessible Ball Field • Softball Diamond

/ THE GUIDE / Fall

• Soccer Fields • Topeka Metro Bike Station • Sand Volleyball Courts • Horseshoe Courts • Amphitheater • Shelter Houses Rose Garden Weddings Imagine the romantic beauty of your wedding in the Reinisch Rose Garden. Peak blooming times for the 5,500 roses are late May into early June, and again in early to mid-September. The Carousel Party Room north of the garden accommodates final wedding and dressing preparations. The adjoining air-conditioned room has a full kitchen, serving island, tables and chairs to seat 42 for a small reception or a gathering place before the wedding. For more information on Gage Park facility rentals please call 785-251-6800 or visit parks.snco.us.

Lake Shawnee

Attractions • 410-acre recreational lake • 7-mile Lake Shawnee Trail • Marina • Boat Ramps • Swim Beach • Campground • Ted Ensley Gardens • Lake Shawnee Jr. Pond • Lake Shawnee Golf Course • Shelter Houses • Bettis Family Sports Complex • Lake Shawnee Girls Softball Complex Other Recreational Opportunities • Summer Day Camps • Disc Golf • Tennis Courts • Soccer Fields • Heated Fishing Dock • Sand Volleyball Courts • Windsurf Beach • Topeka Metro Bike Stations

Ted Ensley Gardens The Ted Ensley Gardens are located on the west side of scenic Lake Shawnee, offering a great panoramic view. They provide a beautiful, 9.5-acre setting with a wealth of design ideas and spectacular plantings. The Garden’s entrance is at the Trailhead facility located north of West Edge Road and 37th Street. The entrance begins with a beautiful 60-foot covered bridge and continues through to meditation and rock gardens, annual and perennial beds, rose and water gardens, a gazebo, pergola, pagoda, waterfalls, and several ponds. An arboretum with 80 species of trees is just across the street. An adjoining natural area is under development.

parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

Campground

Campground Policies • Laundry facilities are available at the shower building. • A variety of beverages, snacks and fire wood are sold at the concessions from April 15-Oct. 15. • Showers and restroom facilities are located at the entrance area and north end of the campground. Please keep these areas clean. • Please have your children watch carefully for cars around the area. YOU are responsible for the conduct and whereabouts of your children at all times. Courteous behavior is encouraged. • Animals must be under control of the owner and on a leash 10 feet or less. • A dump station is available for use. Fee is $5 for non-campers. Registration Fees • April 15-Oct. 15 RV, Campers, Tents - $20 per night • Oct. 16-April 14 RV, Campers, Tents - $17 per night • 62+ years of age and older receive a $1 discount off the daily rate. • Fees are non-refundable. • Sites 117-119 and 132-141 are designated tent sites. A $5 fee is assessed to those parties wishing to set up a tent behind a camping unit or a second tent in specified sites.

Public Fishing Areas • Lake Shawnee • Lake Shawnee, Jr. • Westlake, Gage Park • Central Park Pond, 1534 SW Clay • Clarion Woods Pond, SW 37th & Fairlawn • Freedom Valley Pond, SE 14th & Locust • Ward-Martin Creek in Auburndale Park, 2400 NW Perry • Horseshoe Bend Pond, SE 43rd & Horseshoe Bend St.

All areas are available 6 a.m.-11 p.m. daily, unless otherwise posted, and are stocked regularly by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and Tourism regulations apply. Lake Shawnee and Ward-Martin Creek in Auburndale Park are stocked in the spring and fall with trout. Barrier-free fishing docks are available at Westlake, Central Park Pond, Clarion Woods Pond and Lake Shawnee, which also features a heated fishing dock. For more information contact KDWTP at 785273-6740 or www.kdwpt.state.ks.us.

Individual Reservations • Beginning April 15, reservations will be accepted for arrival dates of May 15 through Sept. 15 each year. • Reservations must be for a minimum of two (2) nights. • Refunds will not be issued for unused sites.

Fall / THE GUIDE /

Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center Topeka Zoo 785-368-9180 635 SW Gage Blvd Topeka, KS 66606 Brendan Wiley, Director www.topekazoo.org

Zoo Hours: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. Grounds open until 5 p.m. The Topeka Zoo is open year-round except on Christmas Day & New Year’s Day.

Admission Fees: Children 2 and under: FREE Ages 3-12: $4.25 Ages 13-64: $5.75 Senior Citizens (65 & older): $4.75

Group rates are available with advanced notice. Contact the zoo at 785-3689180 for more information.

Topeka Zoo

and Conservation Center:

TOTS AND TALES PRESCHOOL TIME A special program designed for toddlers and preschool aged children. First Friday of each month 10:30 a.m.

ZOO ANIMALS LIVE AT TSCPL The zoo takes its animals to the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library for up close and personal animal encounters on the first Thursday of every month. Free to public. 4 p.m.

DISCOVERY HOME SCHOOL PROGR AM A special program designed for school aged children that provides learners with up close encounters with science concepts, vocabulary, and animal interactions. Preregistration required. Call 368-9137. Third Wednesday of each month 1 p.m.

ZOO STORY TIME AND CR AFT AT BARNES AND NOBLE Visit with the Topeka Zoo at Barnes and Noble on Wanamaker for a great children’s story and a related craft. Second Wednesday of every month. Free to the public. 10 a.m.

/ THE GUIDE / Fall

CONSERVATION CONNECTION SERIES Join us for one of our Conservation Connection evenings with guest speakers from around the nation and around the world. Speakers present on a variety of national or international conservation topics. Free to the Public. Sept. 14, Nov. 9 6:30-7:30 p.m. ZOOBILEE An event featuring grazing stations, watering holes, live entertainment, animal encounters, auctions, and more, as a benefit for your Topeka Zoo. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the topekazoo.org or by calling the Topeka Zoo, 368-9180. Sept. 23 5-10 p.m.

parks.snco.us 785.251.6800

Shawnee County Parks + Recreation Facilities BOOZE AT THE ZOO Join us for BOOze At The Zoo! An adults only event with food, entertainment, fall brews and spooktacular drinks! Come dressed in your best costume for this haunting evening. Tickets can be purchased in advance on the topekazoo.org or by calling the Topeka Zoo, 368-9180. Oct. 13 6-10 p.m. BOO AT THE ZOO Join us for the largest Halloween Party in town. Bring in your monster or princess and follow the safe trick or treat routes as you visit your favorite zoo animals. Oct. 21, 28 9 a.m.-3 p.m. PHOTO WITH SANTA CLAWS AND A LIVE ANIMAL Have your family’s photo taken on Santa’s sleigh with Santa and a live animal. A professional photographer will take your individual or family photo Dec. 2, leaving plenty of time to turn it into your holiday greeting card. For questions and costs call 368-9137. Dec. 2 10 a.m.-3 p.m. WINTER ESCAPE ADVENTURE CAMP Winter Break Camp is a new experience each day, so sign up for one or for all. Pre-registration is required. Registration opens Oct. 23. Dec. 26, 27, 28, 29 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Administration Office 3137 SE 29th St., Topeka KS 66605 785.251.6800 Administrative Annex 1800 SE 21st Street, Topeka, KS 66607 785.251.6800 Sports 801 NE Poplar Topeka, KS 66616 785.251.6970 Central Park Community Center 1534 SW Clay, Topeka, KS 66604 785.251.6965 Crestview Community Center 4801 SW Shunga Dr, Topeka, KS 66614 785.251.6960 Cypress Ridge Golf Course 2533 SW Urish Rd, Topeka, KS 66614 785.251.6670 Forbes Golf Course 700 SW Capehart Rd, Topeka, KS 66619 785.862.0114 Garfield Community Center 1600 NE Quincy St., Topeka, KS 66608 785.251.6950 Hillcrest Community Center 1800 SE 21st Street, Topeka, KS 66607 785.291.6956 Lake Shawnee Golf Course 4141 SE East Edge Rd, Topeka, KS 66609 785.251.6640 Lake Shawnee Recreation 3137 SE 29th St., Topeka KS 66605 785.251.6800 Oakland Community Center 801 NE Poplar Topeka, KS 66616 785.251.6953 Old Prairie Town 124 N. Filmore Topeka, KS 66606 785.251.6989 Parks Division 1800 SE 21st Street, Topeka, KS 66607 785.251.6800 Rice Community Center 432 SE Norwood, Topeka, KS 66607 785.251.6976 Shawnee North Community Center 300 NE 43rd St., Topeka, KS 66617 785.286.0676 West Lawn Memorial Gardens 820 SW Auburn Rd, Topeka, KS 66615 785.251.6800

Board of County Commissioners Michele A. Buhler Kevin Cook Bob Archer

1st District 2nd District 3rd District