Durham Parks and Recreation: Play More!

By: Tammy Brown, Recreation Resource Manager On September 13, 2021, our very own Cathy Reagan, Recreation Assistant Supervisor, was selected as the 2021 League Volunteer Service Award (Given by Omega Sports) recipient for the United States Tennis Association North Carolina. This award is presented to the individuals who made generous contributions to the USTA League Tennis program that have resulted in the growth of tennis on the local and/or state level.  USTA’s Director of Adult Play, Dani Broadstreet said that “newer league coordinators reach out to Cathy when they need help setting things up, and Cathy is always willing to take time out of her day to walk them through things.” Cathy is always willing to help with all things league tennis-related. Cathy is an excellent source of knowledge and is an incredible volunteer during state league championships. She is willing to do anything needed to make the championships run smoothly. Cathy also sits on the Adult League Committee, w...

By: Cynthia Booth, Senior Public Affairs Analyst We're excited to announce that we will be installing our first dedicated pickleball facility at Piney Wood Park, located at 400 E Woodcroft Pkwy. Durham Parks and Recreation will be able to host sanctioned tournaments, clinics, lessons, ladder play, and of course, a lot of open play with this new 14 court facility. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, pickleball—a cross between ping pong, tennis, and badminton—is among the fastest-growing sports in the nation. The court is about a third of the size of a tennis court and uses a paddle and a pickleball, a colorful perforated hard plastic ball. The Durham Area Pickleball Players (DAPP) hosted a Bull City Open Pickleball Tournament to raise funds to provide lighting at the future dedicated pickleball facility coming soon to Piney Wood Park. The tournament was held at Bethesda Park on Friday, July 30 –Sunday, August 1.  Tournament Director/Durham Ambassador Tracey T...

This summer, we took Disc Golf to a whole new level! In May 2021, we launched the first-ever Pop-Up Disc Golf Course to take place in our Durham Parks! Currently located at Forest Hills Park, this 9 hole course is a Par 3, perfect for all skill levels to learn the sport or take on new challenges. Over 1,000 people have played the course so far, so what are you waiting for!? The course is free for anyone to enjoy, just make sure you have the proper equipment to play! Grab your discs and start playing! Head on over to Forest Hills Park, located at 1639 University Drive. The first hole is on the right of the parking lot, next to the light pole in the field. Check out the image on the right featuring a map of the course layout. For an even better visual of the Forest Hills Park disc course, check out this drone flyover video on YouTube , filmed by Durham resident Gui Rimkevicius. Like we mentioned, this is a Pop-Up course...so it won't be around much longer! Stay tuned for more in...

Our Fall Athletics line-up is sure to take home the gold! Prepare your family and friends for Durham Park and Recreation's Fall 2021 athletics leagues and offerings! From Women's Soccer and Youth Basketball to Softball and Introduction to Pickleball, participants of all ages are in for a season of fun! Registration is in full swing! We've compiled everything you need to know for all things Athletics in the upcoming season...  Adult Softball (Co-Rec & Men's) : Swing batter, batter swing! Join us for the adult softball league, playing this August through October. Men's and Co-Rec Divisions are available for ages 17 and up. Adult and Youth Tennis Lessons/Leagues : Whether you're learning how to swing a racquet or just playing for fun, we have plenty of opportunity to play tennis for both youth and adults this Fall! Adult Basketball: You got game? Join the Winter League, participate in the open gym or join fellow Mature Adults on the court. All skill levels are...

By: LeeAnn Kennedy, Recreation Supervisor Silence can be deafening, it can also provide a moment for us to reflect and figure things out or perhaps find a new direction. It was a little over a year ago when the world went silent, our daily routines shut down and the normal noise of every day hustle and bustle was quiet, even in our parks. Slowly, yet cautiously, we were able to move forward and as families and individuals moved outside for recreation our parks, trails and athletic courts became busier, livelier and silent no more. As numbers grew in our parks so did the amount of free play on both tennis and basketball courts and as a result we presented the idea of community play days to assist in providing space for those who wanted access to these amenities, especially during evening hours. We designated courts for our tennis facilities and specific days for our basketball facilities in which lights were available to use until 10 p.m. at no cost. The ability to access lights at thes...

Step up your game and play like a champion with Durham Parks and Recreation! Registration is now open for a variety of youth and adult athletics programs. From tennis lessons and youth sports samplers to adult spring softball and pickleball tournaments, we are finding ways to stay active and stay safe during the pandemic. Here's a short and sweet guide featuring some of the sports programs you won't want to miss this Spring... Community Free Play Basketball We're offering free court access to all individuals and families on our outdoor basketball courts. Courts are available first come first serve. The City will turn the lights on at the park from sunset till 10 p.m. Located at the following parks: Bethesda Park, Southern Boundaries Park, Sherwood Park, Morreene Road Park ( visit ActiveNet for specific dates each park is open ) Community Free Play Tennis We're offering free tennis court access to all individuals and families on designated outdoor tennis courts. Courts a...

Did you know that Durham Parks and Recreation offers a wide variety of sports for all ages throughout the year? From volleyball to soccer, flag football to basketball, there are plenty of opportunities for you to Play More with DPR. Registration is opening very soon (if not already) for several of our youth and adult spring leagues. Grab your friends, create a team or sign up as an individual! Please note: Not all sports are offered for both adult and youth. Let's take a closer look at some athletics leagues are taking place during the upcoming 2020 Spring season... Bitty Baseball is a six week program offered to boys and girls ages 4-6 years old looking to learn the fundamentals of baseball. Games are held on Saturdays for one hour, between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. at C.M. Herndon Park. For more information on fees, code of conduct and registration, visit our website . Durham Girls Soccer League (DGSL) is set to kick off for girls ages 6-13 years old in both the Spring and Fal...

It's time to trade in your clubs and golf balls for a flying disc! Disc Golf is the perfect outdoor sport for all ages and activity levels to participate in. Whether you're looking to master the sport or play a casual game, we're here to share the in's and out's of playing Disc Golf in the City of Durham! What is Disc Golf? Very similar to the traditional game of golf, Disc Golf involves landing a flying disc (or Frisbee) into a metal basket. A typical Disc Golf course consists of 9 to 18 holes scattered across acres of land. How do you win? Hope your throwing arm is ready to go! To win a round of Disc Golf, one must have the lowest number of overall throws throughout the course. Sounds easy but make sure to watch out for obstacles like trees, water and other hazards! Ready to play? You'll need to bring your own discs with you to the course and can buy those at your local sporting goods store. Fortunately Disc Golf will cost you little to nothing except for...

Planning a large work function, sports tournament, or birthday party? Did you know we offer rentals for our fields and courts including baseball, soccer, basketball and tennis? We've made it easy to get started and you can find everything you need to know on our website . Here's a quick crash course on things to keep in mind before, during and after you rent DPR facilities. Athletic Field Rentals Before officially putting in a request to rent an Athletic Field, check out our the Field Options and Dimensions for detailed information to help determine the field needed for your group and our Field Rental Policies and Procedures (PDF) . Once you've determined which field you want to rent, fill out the online Field Rental Request Form to submit a request. There is a $15 application fee for all requests (this does not apply until we have confirmed availability and received confirmation to move forward with the rental request). Non-City residents will have an additional ...

Looking for a way to pump up your fitness routine? Join the welcoming community of residents playing Pickleball in Durham! Pickleball is a racquet sport which combines elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis. And there is no need to worry about the weather, this open recreation sport will have participants enjoying friendly game play in a climate controlled indoor setting. Whether you are new to the game or a seasoned expert, join us as we focus on the main components of the game of Pickleball and learn the strategy of the game. We offer Pickleball at four of our Recreation Centers as a drop-in program, no preregistration is required. Please note, there is a small fee for city and non-city residents. For the upcoming Fall 2019 season, here are the locations and playing times for Pickleball: W.D. Hill Recreation Center (located at 1308 Fayetteville Street) Open to ages 18 and up! September 6 - December 27: Fridays, 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. (except 11/29) September 7 - Decemb...

Break out your cleats and shin guards for another awesome season of adult women's soccer with Durham Parks and Recreation! Whether you were the high school all-star years ago or enjoy playing soccer for fun, we welcome all ladies to join us for some friendly competition on the field. We offer two Women's leagues, in both the Fall and Spring, that are available for ages 17+ and 30+. If you are a City Resident, the players fee for the season is $39 and for Non-City Residents, it costs $54. Before signing up, make sure to review the Code of Conduct as we require all participants to adhere to rules and regulations throughout the season. The first league, Women's Open League, is open to those 17 years old and up and games are played on Tuesday and/or Thursday evenings. The second league, Women's 30+ League, plays their games on Monday and/or Wednesday evenings. All games will begin the second week of September and are held at Old Chapel Hill Road or Piney Wood Park st...

In just a few weeks, Durham has the honor of hosting the 2019 USTA NC 40 & Over State Championships from Thursday, June 27 to Sunday, June 30. In May 2018, Durham submitted a bid to host the 2019 & 2020 championship and won! Previously this championship had been hosted in Winston Salem. Learn more about the USTA NC by visiting their website . With the tournament being played at several venues across the city, Durham Parks and Recreation facilities including Elmira Avenue Park, Morreene Road Park, Rock Quarry Park, Southern Boundaries Park and Whipporwill Park are set to host a good portion of the games. This tournament is expected to bring in approximately 1,200 players from across the state to compete and will require over 100 volunteers locally to host the event. In order to be eligible for participation, all players are current USTA members and have competed across the state in their local are for the opportunity to advance to the championship. For more information...

The Durham Girls Soccer League fall season is underway! With over 240 participants in three different age groups, the league has been growing every season! All girls ages 6 to 13 years old are welcome to sign up for both the fall and spring leagues. Games are held on Saturdays and there is a one-hour practice each week. Registration for the spring season began on October 10, so if you, or a friend, are interested, please contact Frank Sidoti or visit our website for more information! The season will begin the weekend of March 16, 2019. Stay tuned to our website for the game schedule and other important details coming soon. Interested in volunteering? The Durham Girls Soccer League is looking for volunteer head coaches and assistant coaches for the fall and spring! Please fill out the Volunteer Application Form  and an Athletics staff member will be in touch. Not quite sure if volunteering is for you? Learn more about the rewarding opportunities you can experience in...

The answer is A LOT! Here's quick peek into the world of Athletics! Athletics completed registration for the adult tennis leagues on January 30th, 2018, with 183 teams across various levels and age groups. This is an increase of 4 teams in this program compared to last year. A “New Captains” meeting for the spring adult league was held on Tuesday, February 13th, 2018 at Hollowrock Swim & Racquet Club. There were approximately 43 team captains in attendance. The “Returning Captains” meeting for the spring adult league was held on Thursday, February 15th, 2018 at the Durham Armory. Attendance at this meeting exceeded 100 people. Overall attendance, we had 165 out of 183 teams represented at the two captains meetings. An ice breaker activity kicked off the returning captains meeting. The Durham Girls Soccer League is heading into a great spring season. This season, we have 18 teams, and over 230 girls participating in the league! Practices start on February 26, and...