From the World of Parks and Recreation
By Doug Comer
Catching a flu bug when the weather finally breaks is like getting your driver’s license and not being allowed to drive the car. With temps reaching the 70s and glimpses of the sun, plenty of outdoor activities get put on the books for things to do including picnics, playgrounds and other recreation. In bed or in the bathroom for a 72-hour period, it definitely put a hamper on my plans for fun.
It’s that time of year though as you have warm, sunny days as well as cold, dreary days. The inconsistencies of the weather puts a toll on my body and the end result had me quarantined to the house while others got to enjoy the turning of the weather. But, that is how it goes. Germs are everywhere and if you get a whiff of an infection, anyone is vulnerable. The end result is a trip to the local “Doc in the Box” and getting a shot in the behind and a week’s worth of antibiotics.
And the recovery time takes a couple more days as you are weak from lack of food intake and the body is still a little sore from the violence that happens when the flu bug hits… I will not go into detail. It just sucks being sick and for it to happen in the spring season, just adds fuel to the fire.
Once the cycle was over and I got back to strength, I was able to get out and check around some of the parks that we occupy. And as expected, we had parks full of kids, especially at our park located at the Recreation Complex.
Completion of phase ONE plan with the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant was last week and our new playground was full of kids. The playground consists of slides, climbing and swings and there is some ADA equipment for special needs kids. The future plans include a dinosaur pod that will have many climbing activities as well as a fossil dig for the future paleontologists.
Our 9-hole disc golf course is taking on some steam as many people are taking advantage of playing the course. No, it does not meet the difficulty of some area courses, but it is a great course for players of any age. The course starts in the back right part of the park behind the pavilion and finishes to the right of the building by the entrance.
Whether it is our park or a park in your neighborhood, family opportunities like spending time out and enjoying the good weather are here. And the parks are an inexpensive means to enjoying family time. Any child under the age of 12 would relish the opportunity to hang on the monkey bars or go down a slide. And we have those opportunities here at our parks and recreation facilities.
The only advice I can give is to take plenty of Vitamin C and have some travel Lysol in your pocket to keep your health up and to keep you from quarantine for a week. Take care and see you next week.
