Parks & Recreation Update for August 30, 2012

08/30/2012 | Dave Nash, Public Affairs Coordinator

Fall/Winter Guide and Registration

Time to plan your fall and winter! The new Parks and Recreation Activities Guide is available in any Parks and Recreation facility. Additionally, you can download the guide and print or save the PDF document to your computer for easy reference. Registration for City residents is under way now, with online registration beginning Sept. 3 and registration for those living outside the city limits beginning Sept. 4. For questions or more information about the programs mentioned within, call Parks and Recreation at 373-5243.

Big Events

National Softball Tournament this Weekend

Come out and see some of the best softball played in the west! Kennedy/Keegan Athletic Complex, 23rd Street and Kennedy Lane, will be the host site for the Amateur Softball Association's Men's Class D 12-inch Slow Pitch Western National Tournament. The tournament kicks off with opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31 then runs through Sunday night with the championship game. There will be Mexican food by Las Palapas and ice-cold beverages for sale as well. Please note the only outside food and beverage that will be allowed inside the gate is water. The cost to be a fan and support the teams is $1 per day for adults; children 12 and under are admitted for free.

Come Out and Play - A Day For Kids

Tell all your friends it's that time again: Yuma Parks and Recreation and the Salvation Army/Boys and Girls Club team up for the annual "Come Out and Play – A Day For Kids" 1 to 5:45 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15 at Valley Aquatic Center and Sunrise Optimist Park. Bring your family and neighbors to this huge, free event. Free swimming, aquatic games, jumpers in the parks and some new wet fun times. Free hot dogs and soda provided by the Salvation Army/Boys and Girls Club.

Desert Hills Golf Course

Desert Hills Golf Course hosts the final round of the Yuma County Open Tournament at 7:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 3. (The three-round tournament kicks off at the Yuma Golf and Country Club on Saturday and Las Barrancas on Sunday.) Entry Fee is $150 and includes green fees, range fees, prize fund, and lunch at Desert Hills Bar and Grill on Monday.

Yuma Art Center and Historic Yuma Theatre

NexGen Leadership Council presents its annual fall showing of "The Big Lebowski" at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7 Come in costume and have a great time. There will be beverage specials ("Hey careful man, there's a beverage here!") and door prizes. Bring a canned food item for the Yuma Community Food Bank and make a cash donation at the door.

Sports: Softball tourneys, league

Halloween Ball Bash Tournaments

It's the softball tournament that's so popular, we had to split it up over two weekends! The Co-Rec tourney is Oct. 20-21; men's and women's tournaments will be Oct. 27-28 at various City softball fields. Registration takes place Sept. 4 through Oct. 11. Fee: $235 per team plus $24 ASA fee.

Fall Slow Pitch League (Men's, Women's Co-Rec)

The season is Sept. 4 through Oct. 13, with games starting at 6:30 p.m. at various City softball fields. Registration ends on Aug. 23 or until the leagues fill. Fee: $370 per team plus $24 ASA sanction fee.

Upcoming Activities

• Arts and Crafts, Scratch Art, Oil Painting, and Woodcarving/Woodburning
  Location: North End Community Center
  Office hours: 9 a.m. to noon
  Days: Tuesday and Thursday
  For more information please call 928-373-5254.
• Lego Mania
  Lego Mania is coming 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8 at Clymer Recreation Center for ages 6-12. An exciting day of building; inventions, cars, houses, planes and cities, is planned. Registration begins on Aug.27 for City residents and Sept. 4 for all others. Fee: $18; $12 with city resident credit.
• Fishing Worms
  Ages 6-13 are invited to join us 6 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, beginning at Riverside Outdoor Education Center. Together we'll try our luck casting our lines and fishing at Mittry Lake. Transportation is provided to and from the Riverside Outdoor Education Center, and the fishing supplies are included.
• Wet, Wild Wacky Pool Party
  Teens 12-18, come have a wet and wild time in the pool with all your friends one last time before the summer ends, 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 8 at Kennedy Pool. Water games, kayak and water slide races will highlight the evening. Just $2 to attend.
• High School Tennis Drill & Play
  This program is for current Varsity and Junior Varsity players only. Grades: 9-12 may sign up for $42 each or $35 with city resident credit. The high school tennis season is just around the corner and champions are made in the off season. This program will encourage physical training specifically for the sport of tennis. Advanced Tennis drills and fundamentals will be emphasized. It all takes place Wednesdays 7 to 9 p.m. Sept. 5 through 24 at Desert Sun Tennis Courts.

Pool Hours - Open Swim

With the school year under way, Valley Aquatic Center will be open on weekends only, 1 to 5:45 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, through Sept. 30. Admission fees have dropped as well. More info available by phone, (928) 373-5243.

Take Pride in Yuma

Help us keep an eye out for graffiti and vandalism, which costs the Yuma taxpayers over $200,000 per year. Report incidents of crime to 78-Crime (782-7463). Note location of graffiti and call the Graffiti Busters hot line, 329-2828. There were 27 cases of graffiti abated by Parks crews this week.