Recreation You know life is good when there are numerous opportunities to enjoy the beautiful outdoors. Start with a relaxing walk along the banks of Swan Lake for a perfect summer evening stroll. Sumter is home to a variety of parks, trails and sporting facilities that are designed for all ages. With more than 30 public parks, a tennis complex and a public pool at their disposal, Sumter residents always have something to do or somewhere to go.
The City of Sumter Aquatics Center has served the Sumter community and the surrounding area for more than 16 years, focusing on water safety. Through educational efforts and awareness, learning how to swim is important in Sumter, South Carolina. Sumter is centrally located with easy access to coastal beaches, lakes, rivers and ponds calling us to enjoy the water safely! The City of Sumter Aquatics Center also provides refreshing water activities to serve Sumter and surrounding communities. Fun starts with the open tube slide, wade pool, beach entrance and fountain; it also meets requirements for competition swim meets with six swim lanes, an electronic timer and touch pads and diving blocks. Lifeguards and water safety instructors are on-site during the season, which doubles as a great summer job or possibly a career opportunity. Dillon Park is a family and Fidofriendly park with baseball, soccer and football fields, a paved walking trail and a dog park. Most recently was the completion of a Penny for Progress project that includes three new football fields, a pavilion, a press box and storage building. With the new renovations, the park will be able to host tournaments and other sporting
44
events. Dillon Park is more than an incredible outdoor space for organized athletic events. Picnic shelters, playgrounds and grassy open space provides for an outing of fun-filled days! Adjacent to the park is Crystal Lakes, an 18-hole public golf course with a full-service club house. A day on the course for a challenging round of golf, the popular disc golf and multiple programs for teens are offered. If you like baseball, Bobby Richardson Sports Complex, named for former Major League Baseball player and Sumter native Bobby Richardson is another great place to go. It features an observation tower in addition to a fan-friendly covered spectator area. Sumter has hosted the USSSA, ISA, WFC and Dixie Youth tournaments. We also have Riley Park, home of the champion American Legion P-15’s, a 2,000-seat professional-quality stadium. In addition to the P-15’s, it also hosts the USC Sumter Fire Ants and the Morris College Hornets as well as two softball teams as part of the new American Legion Softball league, the Legends and The Storm. The Palmetto Tennis Center is a facility nationally awarded and recognized in 2004 and again in 2018. This award-winning facility is located inside
Guide to Sumter 2021 Photos by Sumter County Government & City of Sumter
