We’ve talked about swimming lessons. We’ve talked about tennis. And we’ve talked about golf. We’ve even talked about boating!
But with our Summer ‘17 series almost done, it’s time to buckle down and tick off the last few items on our to-do list.
Columbus Recreation and Parks (CRPD) offers an enormous array of quality summer athletic programming for children and young adults – so much, in fact, that we could never cover it all in a single article.
That said, here are some of our favorites.
A quick note before we get started:
You and your kids will need Columbus Leisure Cards to take part in much of this programming. Haven’t signed up for a Leisure Card? We’ve got the info you need to know.
Boxing
Amateur boxing is available at the Barack, Beatty, Blackburn, Dodge, Douglas, and Thompson recreation centers. Both boys and girls are welcome to take part; children need only be eight years of age or older. In addition to training, the boxing program also organizes teams, which compete around the state.
Amateur Boxing
Barack, Beatty, Blackburn, Dodge, Douglas, Thompson
Ages 8+
To train at a Columbus recreation center, you must first register at usaboxing.org. Registration is $55 and valid during the calendar year in which it is purchased. Boxers over 18 pay an additional $25 per session, with the money going toward youth boxing initiatives.
Questions? Contact John Frissora at (614) 645-3312 or jjfrissora@columbus.gov.
Disc golf
The premise of disc golf is simple: Get your disc to the target.
You start from a designated marker (the “tee”) and throw your disc. If you miss the target on your first throw, you walk to where your disc landed and throw again. This process repeats until you hit the target.
Disc Golf Courses
Griggs Reservoir
2933 Riverside Dr.
Hoover Reservoir
2000 Central College Rd.
Walnut Hill
6001 E. Livingston Ave.
Disc golf is traditionally played in rounds of nine or 18 holes; the player who completes the course with the lowest number of throws wins.
CRPD currently manages three disc golf courses – Griggs Reservoir, Hoover Reservoir, and Walnut Hill.
The Griggs Reservoir Disc Golf Course, 2933 Riverside Drive, incorporates the Scioto River into some of its 18 holes. Golf discs can be purchased at Disc Golf Mart, 1971 Riverside Drive, and Franks Marathon, 3116 Riverside Drive. The Griggs scorecard can be found here.
Visitors to the Hoover Reservoir Disc Golf Course, 2000 Central College Road in Westerville, can avail themselves of the location’s 27-hole championship course, which features both open and wooded fairways. (Scorecard here.)
Walnut Hill, 6001 East Livingston Avenue, the city’s third and newest disc golf course, provides 18 holes on 30 acres of the former Walnut Hill Golf Course.
Curious about disc golf? Looking to get involved? Contact the Columbus Flyer Disc Golf Club.
Dodge Skate Park
With its three concrete bowls – three, four, and six feet deep, respectively – and a snake run, the 16-acre Dodge Skate Park is an ideal destination for BMXers, skateboarders, and rollerbladers.
Located at 667 Sullivant Avenue and designed by Tony Hawk’s father, Dodge Skate Park is open to the public, no admission required. A quick note for parents, though: On-site supervision is not provided.
Fishing
Summer’s the perfect time to cast a line and take a fishing class, and CRPD has you covered with prgrams at six Columbus community centers – Adams, Far East, Linden, Schiller, Westgate, and Whetstone.
Fishing Lessons
Adams, Far East, Linden, Schiller, Westgate, Whetstone
June 16 – Aug. 4
Fridays
12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Ages 6-14
Fishing classes are scheduled for every Friday (12 p.m. to 2 p.m.) between June 16 and August 4. The classes are for children aged six to 14. Fishing poles, bait, and tackle are provided on-site, but kids can also choose to bring their own gear.
Additionally, beginning June 12, participants can register for fishing excursions to Lake Erie. These trips are free of charge, but slots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact one of the six recreation centers listed above for more information.
Questions regarding fishing lessons? Visit CRPD online.
Late-night basketball
Late-Night Basketball
Blackburn/Far East (Mondays)
Dodge/Milo Grogan (Tuesdays)
Driving Park/Howard (Wednesdays)
Woodward Park/Indian Mound (Thursdays)
Marion Franklin/Schiller (Fridays)
June 12 – Aug. 4
Ages 12-30
CRPD’s late-night basketball program provides players aged 12 to 30 the chance to hone their skills through drills and game play for free during the summer months.
Late-night basketball is offered between June 12 and August 4 at ten of the city’s community centers: Mondays at Blackburn and Far East; Tuesdays at Dodge and Milo Grogan; Wednesdays at Driving Park and Howard; Thursdays at Woodward Park and Indian Mound; and Fridays at Marion Franklin and Schiller.
These evening sessions last from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m., with different time periods allotted for different ages: 12 to 15 year olds play from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.; 16 to 18 year olds from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.; and 19 to 30 year olds from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.
We hope you’ve found Summer ‘17 useful in planning your kids’ summer activities. We’ll be back next week with our final post of the series.
Before you go, take a moment to look back at the rest of Summer ‘17:
- Cool off at one of Hilliard’s two municipal pools
- Your Columbus “Leisure Card” is a passport to fun
- Dive into one of Columbus’s outdoor swimming pools
- Spraygrounds, “open fountains” provide quick relief from the summer heat
- Keep the kids safe with swimming lessons at Hilliard's municipal pools
- Columbus offers swim lessons for kids and adults
- Let your kids “discover boating” with Columbus Recreation and Parks
- Kids, pick up your tennis rackets. It’s time for a match!
- Get your swing back with tennis classes from CRPD
- Dust off your clubs and head to a city golf course
- Hit a hole-in-one at one of CRPD’s golf camps and tournaments
Monday’s Memorial Day. Enjoy your holiday weekend!
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