Durham Parks and Recreation: Play More!

Can you believe it!? 2020 is almost here and we're making sure you have a clear vision of all the activities, programs and events you want to sign up for in our brand new January - May 2020 Play More Guide! Whether you learn sign language in the American Sign Language 101 class or get fit during Hip Hop Spin, there is something for everyone to participate in. Here's an important update on registration as the typical process has changed! Program registration will begin on Sunday, December 1 for programs taking place January - May 2020. Athletic League registration varies and can be found on pages 20-23 of the Play More Guide. Swim Lesson registration dates are as follows:  Monday, December 2 at 9 a.m. for all classes beginning in January and February. Monday, March 2 at 9 a.m. for all classes beginning in March. Monday, April 6 at 9 a.m. for all classes beginning in April and May. And keep in mind, if you have an activity in your wish list, such as summer camp for your ...

Anyone else love all of the holiday festivities that come with the month of December!? We sure do and we have plenty of ways to get in the holiday spirit for the entire family! From the Holiday Parade & Fun Fest to A Frosty Family Affair to a brand new event at Edison Johnson Recreation Center called Holidays Around the World, you'll be sure to have a wonderful time wherever you go! And just remember, we regularly update the calendar on our website with activities year round, so make sure to check there for more details including how how to register and contact information! Here is your go to guide on all things December activities and events with Durham Parks and Recreation! See something you want to attend? Make sure if there is preregistration required that you register today to secure your spot! December 3 Senior Holiday Party: The Senior Holiday Party is one of Durham's largest celebrations for Mature Adults. The party-goers are diverse, but they all have one ...

It's the fifth year of the WRAL.com Voter's Choice Awards and W.D. Hill Recreation Center and Hillside Park have been chosen as finalists! This competition celebrates and honors the local favorite in categories such as businesses, parks, and restaurants in the Triangle! From now until December 1, voting is open to the public to vote for their favorites! W.D. Hill Recreation Center/Hillside Park is under the 'Community > Park' category competing against several other awesome parks including Pullen Park and William B Umstead Park. Community members are eligible to vote once per day per email address that is registered with WRAL. Once voting closes on December 1, all votes will be tallied and winners will be announced. We need your help to win! Here's the link to vote for W.D. Hill Recreation Center/Hillside Park. History of W.D. Hill Recreation Center The recreation center is named after William Daniel Hill (1890-1945), better known by his initials "W....

On Thursday, October 24, the Durham Parks and Recreation School-Age Care Unit and the National After School Alliance celebrated the 20th Annual 'Lights on After School' event! What is 'Lights on After School'? Did you know that today in America, a total of 11.3 million children are unsupervised and alone after school!? In October 2000, 'Lights on After School', created by a nonprofit organization called Afterschool Alliance, launched in over 1,000 communities around the nation. The event was created to highlight the importance of providing places for kids to be safe, learn new things and assist with the busy schedule of working families. The program continued to grow across the Nation and now more than 8,000 rallies are held every year! What is offered in Durham Parks and Recreations's After School Program? Continue the fun and learning after school at one of our After School program locations! We offer a balanced mix of academic support, sports, recre...

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...

We love our volunteers! And what better way to show them how much we love them than to do a little shoutout!? This week we want to say T-H-A-N-K Y-O-U to two of our Durham Girls Soccer League coaches and learn more about their volunteer story... What is your current volunteer role with Durham Parks and Recreation? Doreen and Charlie are co-coaches for Scotland in the DGSL 11-13 age group. When did you decide to start volunteering? Charlie: We each had a daughter playing for Scotland back in 2014 when they were both seven. The coaches were two Duke students who graduated before the end of the season. Doreen and I had gotten to know each other on the sidelines, so we volunteered to cover the last game as coaches. The girls played an amazing game, we had a great group of parents, and it was fun! So we stayed on as coaches and are still with the team five years later. Why did you want to sign up to be a DGSL Coach? Charlie: At first it was just to help and because some...

By Andre’ White, Recreation Operations Supervisor, WD Hill Recreation Center The W.D. Hill Recreation Center was the backdrop and host for the unveiling of a North Carolina Historical Highway Marker and program celebrating the legendary Algonquin Tennis Club on Thursday, August 15th, 2019.  Among the many tennis greats who played at the tennis club during a time span ranging from the 1930's thru the 1960's included Arthur Ashe (Wimbledon and U.S. Open Champion as well as human rights champion, Althea Gibson (1st African American female to win Wimbledon, (prelude to) the U.S. Open and 13 Grand Slam titles) John Lucas ( All –American at the University of Maryland), Bonnie Logan (1st African American Female in the Virginia Slims professional tennis circuit), Joe Williams (Men’s Singles NCAA Champion)  and Irwin Holmes (NC States first African American graduate and the 1st African American to compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference). The history of the W.D. Hill Recreation Cent...

By: Michael Honeycutt, Recreation Specialist Senior  The Mature Adult outing – “Old Durham/New Durham” held on Thursday, August 22 – began with a “true overview” of Durham. From the 28th floor of the new One City Center in downtown Durham, participants were treated to a panoramic birds-eye view of the city and beyond. In cooperation with the building management company, a tour of this “New Durham” addition was provided to a group of Mature Adults. They were whisked to the top floor of the building which provided wonderful views in all directions. Participants looked longingly at the roof-top pool as it was a truly hot August day. A brief overview of the history and construction of the building was provided, complete with an overview of all the amenities this luxury building has to offer. The tour was capped off by viewing one of the living spaces in the building. After “coming back to Earth” the group visited the Durham History Museum where an exhibit on the life on Durham ci...