Discover Parks & Recreation Day
Cape Coral has been celebrating National Park and Recreation Month throughout July, and will hold a special main event called Discover Parks and Recreation Day today at the Cape Coral Yacht Club from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
There also will be free boat trailer parking at all the city-owned public boat ramps this weekend, Saturday, July 28, and Sunday, July 29.
At Discover Parks and Recreation Day, there will be eveything from program information, live demonstrations and children’s activities and a classic car show.
“National Park and Recreation Month helps to recognize the opportunities that parks provide for people to play, free of stress,” said Steve Pohlman, director of Cape Coral Parks & Recreation in a prepared statement. “That could include a walk in the park, parents and children interacting on a playground, participation in competitive athletics or exercise programs that cater to senior citizens.”
“Cape Coral has 39 parks,” said Cape Coral Parks & Recreation Marketing Manager Michelle Dean. “In the past we had done several open houses at the different parks and facilities. Now we have combined forces, and we’ll have representation from all our different divisions at one convenient location at the Discover Parks and Recreation Day July 28.”
The latest addition to the parks is Malaga Park, recently renamed Founders’ Park, she said.
People can learn about everything from recreational activities at the Yacht Club and area park environmental recreation opportunities to programs at the Art Studio, Youth Center and Senior Centers at the event.
This family event is to share program information, provide live demonstrations and interactive games at one convenient location, Dean said.
Other activities will include pony rides, children’s crafts, the classic car show, an ice cream social, a photo booth and prize giveaways throughout the event.
“Environmental recreational personnel will be bringing the Traveling Butterfly Exhibit and other critters from Rotary Park. The Arts Studio will be having interactive crafts and children’s activities, and we will have free pony rides in conjunction with the summer camps Four Freedoms Park offers.”
Everything is free.
“There will be the free photo booth, the classic car show taking place and an Ice Cream Social. We will also have several raffles throughout the day and demonstrations on the main stage including yoga, cloggers, zumba and more. It’s just a great assortment of what parks and recreation has to offer.”
Other free offerings will appeal to local boaters.
“For boaters there will be free boat trailer parking at our (city-owned) boat ramps during the weekend, July 28 and July 29.”
There are five developed boat ramps and about 10 in various stages of development, she said.
Cape Coral residents and visitors enjoy the different parks for different reasons.
Cape Coral mom Margaret D’Angelo and daughters Emily and Dianna frequent the Yacht Club.
“We use the beach once a week, we really like it. We like having a little shade, which they have there, and the children use the climber,” D’Angelo said in an earlier interview.
They also like to hunt hermit crabs there and play in the sand, as well as swim.
Local artist and writer Sean Dever goes to the parks with his dog Buddy.
“I walk my dog every day for the the last seven years there. Everyone knows Buddy.”
For a full list of all the all activities Cape Coral Parks & Recreation go to capeparks.com.