Planning for the Future: Clarksville Parks & Recreation

The Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department is looking toward the future, and asking for Clarksville residents to help us shape that future.  Work has begun on a new 5-year master plan for the Clarksville Parks District, and several special meetings have been scheduled to gather input from the public. 

It is important to include residents in the planning process so we better understand how our park system meets current and future needs.  These special public meetings will help us analyze public recreation needs and preferences, determine what recreation facilities and programs are publicly desired and appropriate, and prioritize and plan for new and renovated facilities and programs.

The first meeting will be held at 9:30am this Saturday, May 13^th, at the Jeffersonville Township Public Library’s Clarksville Branch on Eastern Boulevard.

Saturday, May 13, 2017 – 9:30am

Jeffersonville Township Public Library – Clarksville Branch

1312 Eastern Boulevard, Clarksville, IN

 

Monday, May 15, 2017 – 6:30pm

Ohio Falls Methodist Church

917 S Virginia Avenue, Clarksville, IN

 

Thursday, May 18 – 6:30pm

Clark County REMC

7810 S.R. 60, Sellersburg, IN

Residents who are unable to make a public meeting may still submit their suggestions by filling out our online Master Plan Survey. This short survey will only take about 5 minutes, but the answers could have a major impact on the future of the Clarksville Parks district. To fill out the survey, Clarksville residents should CLICK HERE.

Advertisements

Floyd Central Grad Selected for Clarksville Parks Internship

2017 Intern Megan Streigel (Clemson University)

Southern Indiana residents may notice a familiar face the next time they attend an event hosted by the Clarksville Parks.  Megan Striegel of Floyds Knobs, Indiana has been selected as the 2017 Summer Intern for the Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department.

Megan graduated from Floyd Central High School, and was a member of the Floyd Central Golf Team for 4 years.  She is currently attending Clemson University and pursuing a degree in Graphic Communications.  Megan is already performing well in her first year, earning a spot in Alpha Lambda Delta, a certified national honor society that recognizes academic excellence in the first year of college.

The Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department first began offering an internship program back in 2014.  Each year, the department selects one student from applicants from across the country, to work with the department during the summer months.  Since Clarksville Parks is a small department, our interns get in-depth training in event management, recreational program development, golf and aquatics operations, budgeting, marketing, and communications.  Unlike many internships, this position is paid, making it very competitive.

2016 Intern Kelly Renee (Northern Kentucky University)

Megan will begin her duties with Clarksville Parks beginning May 15 and run through early August.  Since Megan is pursuing a degree in Graphic Communications, she will be working closely with Communication Director Ken Conklin on marketing, graphic design, website development, ad design, media communications, and public relations.  Megan will also spend time learning about operations within the Parks Department, Wooded View Golf Course, and the new Clarksville Cove Family Aquatic Center.

2015 Intern Dylan Ballard (University of Louisville)

The Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department is proud to welcome Megan Striegel to the team, and looks forward to her great work for our community.  Anyone interested in learning more about the Clarksville Parks and Recreation Internship program can visit our website at ClarksvilleParks.com.

CLARKSVILLE COVE: Special preview night for Clarksville residents

The NEW Clarksville Cove Family Aquatic Center is nearly complete, with the grand opening set for Saturday, May 27th!

Some lucky Clarksville residents will get to enjoy the new facility before it opens to the public.  Clarksville Cove will be hosting a special “Preview Night” on Friday, May 26th from 4:00-7:00pm for Clarksville residents only.  The first 300 residents to show their Clarksville, Indiana ID will be allowed to swim for FREE.  Only 300 people will be allowed to attend this event, so once we hit that number, the pool will be closed to any other visitors.

To learn more about Clarksville Cove, visit our website at ClarksvilleCove.com.

DOCTORS: Hiking outdoors can help Children suffering from ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is becoming more and more common among children. Children who have ADHD have a difficult time with impulse control and staying focused, they get distracted easily, and exhibit excessive hyperactivity.

While raising children who have ADHD can be difficult for parents, the usual solution — opting for prescription medication — may be doing more harm than good, particularly when natural solutions can work just as well. A study conducted by Frances E Kup, PhD, and Andrea Faber Taylor, PhD, found that exposing children with ADHD to “green outdoor activities” reduces symptoms significantly. The results of this study suggest nature exposure can benefit anyone who has a difficult time paying attention and/or exhibits impulsive behavior.

Clarksville Parks offers FREE Guided Nature Hikes.  The next hike is scheduled for Saturday, April 29th in Lapping Park, located at 2404 Greentree North in Clarksville.  We will meet at Endris Lodge.

Hiking can also help adults with ending negative and obsessive thoughts.  Aside from the almost instant feeling of calm and contentment that accompanies time outdoors, hiking in nature can reduce rumination. Many of us often find ourselves consumed by negative thoughts, which takes us out of the enjoyment of the moment at best and leads us down a path to depression and anxiety at worst. But a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that spending time in nature decreases these obsessive, negative thoughts by a significant margin.

To conduct this study, researchers compared the reported rumination of participants who hiked through either an urban or a natural environment. They found those who walked for 90 minutes in a natural environment reported lower levels of rumination and they also had reduced neural activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain related to mental illness. Those who walked through the urban environment, however, did not report decreased rumination.

The researchers noted that increased urbanization closely correlates with increased instances of depression and other mental illness. Taking the time to regularly remove ourselves from urban settings and spend more time in nature can greatly benefit our psychological (and physical) well-being.

This excerpt is from an article written by Alanna Ketler and posted on the website Collective-Evolution.com.  It was promoted by the National Recreation and Parks Association.  Please CLICK HERE to read the full article.

 

 

Town of Clarksville Named One of the “Best Cities for Outdoor Lovers”

Spring is in full swing, and many area residents are starting to get outside and enjoy our sunshine and warmer temperatures.  Our parks and trails are already becoming busy with activity as residents look to get outside to exercise, relax, and enjoy all that nature has to offer.

Ashland Park, Clarksville

With the start of the spring season also comes a new designation for the Town of Clarksville.  A new report from the website Millennial Personal Finance (MPF), ranks Clarksville as one of the “Best Cities for Outdoor Lovers”.  Using licensed data, MPF found the exact number of parks, campsites, and outdoor reservations for over 5,000 U.S. towns and cities. That number was divided by the respective city’s population to develop the Outdoor Lover Index.  The website says the index is indicative of the number of outdoor places per person in a given place.

Clarksville Little League Complex

The Town of Clarksville ranked #233 out of 5,000 cities and towns used in the report, and ranked #6 in the state of Indiana.  Only eleven cities and towns in the Hoosier state made the top 500, including nearby Corydon, IN which ranked #128 on the list.  Clarksville and Corydon are the only two locations in in the Louisville/Southern Indiana area to make the Top 500 list.

The Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department is proud to receive this designation, and will continue to work to provide the best outdoor recreational areas for our residents and visitors.  The department has several projects in the works including the brand new Clarksville Cove Aquatic Center (opening May 27^th), a total redevelopment of Ashland Park along the Ohio River, and the Lewis and Clark Trail which will connect the Clarksville and New Albany portions of the Ohio River Greenway.

Read the full report from Millennial Personal Finance (MPF)

 

2017 Movies In the Park Schedule Released

Spring is here, and temperatures are warming up!  That means Clarksville Parks’ annual outdoor Summer Movies Series is right around the corner. The series had a very successful season in 2016, and we are hoping to continue the trend in 2017.

Here is a look at our 2017 Summer Movie Series Schedule:

All movies will be held at Gateway Park, located at 500 Little League Boulevard in Clarksville. All movies are FREE and begin at dusk. Lawn chairs and coolers are welcome! No alcohol, smoking or pets allowed.  We’ll see you at the movies!

Clarksville Parks Adding New Team Member

“Joining the Clarksville Parks and Recreation Department changed my life for the better”.

That comment still rings true today for Marketing & Programming Coordinator Ken Conklin. Ken joined Clarksville Parks in 2013, after spending 10 years in the television news industry. Ken says it was one of the best decisions he has ever made.

Ken Conklin

“I had a great job as a producer with a Louisville TV News station, and I had the chance to work some pretty incredible people” said Ken Conklin. “Unfortunately, writing about all the violence in Louisville and the rest of the country just took a toll on me.  I wanted to do something that made me happy. Working with Clarksville Parks has done just that!”

Ken is one of several recent additions to the Clarksville Parks team, along with a new Office Manager, Maintenance Foreman, and Assistant Golf Pro. Now Clarksville Parks is planning on expanding the team a bit further. The department created a new full-time Recreation Programming and Aquatic Center Director position, and is currently accepting applications.

The person hired for this position will be responsible for two aspects of the department. The first being the management and operation of the Clarksville Family Aquatic Center during the Summer months.  The other being the programming of our recreational programs throughout the year.  Ken Conklin’s position will be changing to focus more on Marketing and Special Events, which is why this new hire will take over the duties of recreational programming.

Clarksville Family Aquatic Center Redevelopment November 2016

The person filling the new position will be joining the team at a very exciting time. We are currently in the process of redeveloping a BRAND NEW Family Aquatic Center. The entire facility is going through an overhaul which includes a new lobby, restroom improvements, new slides and slide tower, new decking and shade umbrellas, and a huge splash and play area.

In order to be considered for this position, candidates must meet the minimum qualifications below:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Recreation Administration, Public or Business Administration or a related field required is required to apply.
• Must be able to meet and exceed the needs of the public on a daily basis in a professional and helpful manner, exercise discretion with sensitive and confidential information, and possess the knowledge of computer hardware and software programs.
• Pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check.

Interested applicants can find the job posting on the Clarksville Parks Employment page of ClarksvilleParks.com. Applications and resumes will be accepted until December 29, 2016 or until the position has been filled.