Get ready to “get your play on” this July with Goodlettsville Parks and Recreation and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). July is Parks and Recreation Month and you can celebrate the month by joining your local parks and recreation agency for some fun activities.
Since 1985, America has celebrated July as the nation’s official Park and Recreation Month. Created by NRPA, Park and Recreation Month specifically highlights the vital and powerful role local parks and recreation, such as Goodlettsville Parks and Recreation, play in conservation, health and wellness, and social equity efforts in communities all across the country.
This year, it’s all about discovering the power of play. From learning a new sport like pickleball to meeting your friends on the playground, your Goodlettsville Parks and Recreation facilities are the places where everyone can play, regardless of age or ability. NRPA and Goodlettsville Parks and Recreation are encouraging everyone to get out and experience the power of play for themselves.
In Goodlettsville, you can celebrate Park and Recreation month by participating in one of the many fitness activities that are offered at the community center. Zumba is perfect for those of you who like to take the "work" out of workout, by mixing low-intensity and high-intensity moves for an interval-style, calorie-burning dance fitness party. With open play pickleball, new and experienced players can get exercise, learn the game, or practice their skills for upcoming tournaments on Thursday nights. Vinyasa Yoga encompasses a wide range of styles of yoga where movement is synchronized to the breath and basic postures are explored. Please visit our website at goodlesttvilleparks.com for a complete list of activities and descriptions.
Goodlettsville Water Fest will be taking place July 21st at Moss-Wright Park near shelter 3 starting at 10:00am. This event combines education and fun: attendees will learn about the importance of water quality in our watershed through fun and engaging environmental-based activities suitable for the entire family. After you have enjoyed a fun watered filled day in the park, come back that evening for a Movie in the Park featuring Finding Dory. The event takes place in Moss-Wright Park on the Soccer Fields. The area will open at 6:00pm with music and concessions (or bring a picnic dinner) and the movie will begin at dusk - around 8:00pm. Find more activities at goodlettsvilleparks.com
“July is the perfect time to highlight all the benefits parks and recreation provides right here in Goodlettsville,” said Amy Mitchell, Director of Parks and Recreation. “Our local parks and recreation activities directly contribute to reduced obesity rates, an improved ecosystem, and increased property values.”
Goodlettsville Parks and Recreation is leading initiatives and providing opportunities for people of all ages to achieve healthier lifestyles, promote and understand nature and conservation, as well as bringing the community closer through a variety of programs and services. One program that promotes healthy living is the GPRT 100, which is a walking challenge program. Several community members have successfully walked 200 miles since January. There are several gardening programs for people of all ages held at Historic Mansker’s Station. One of them being the Jr. Master Gardener Camp. Campers at the 2017 camp focused on Plant Growth and Development. The Jr. Master Gardener program engages children in "hands-on" group and individual learning experiences that provide a love for gardening, develop an appreciation for the environment, and cultivate the mind. JMG is an international youth gardening program of the University Cooperative Network. The Gardening Lecture Series is a collaboration between Goodlettsville Parks and Recreation and the Sumner County Master Gardeners. In this series, adults can learn about a variety of topics including butterfly waystations, orchids, and foodscaping.
Nationally, NRPA is celebrating Park and Recreation Month with a weekly contest encouraging people to show them why play is so important in their lives. NRPA also encourages all people that support parks and recreation to share why they think play is so important with the hashtag #PlayOnJuly. For more information about the contest and Park and Recreation Month in general, visit www.nrpa.org/July.
Learn about the exciting Park and Recreation Month activities planned for Goodlettsville and more online at www.facebook.com/gvilleparks or at www.goodlettsvilleparks.com.