Department to Open Tennis Complex, Skate Park Sept. 14

The City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will hold two ribbon-cutting ceremonies on Saturday, Sept. 14. The public is invited to attend both and to enjoy the new facilities that will be opened.
     The first, at 10 a.m., will celebrate the opening of the Westover Hills Tennis Complex, which is located behind Westover Hills Elementary School at 1211 Jahnke Road.
     The department has built four new tennis courts and renovated two others at the complex. The courts are specially designed to provide instruction for children 10 and younger with the new Quick Start tennis program, which uses smaller court areas, larger racquets and other equipment that makes it easy for children to learn and play tennis. The courts are the only public tennis courts in the region designed specifically with children in mind.
     “Our new tennis courts, designed specifically with children in mind, as well as the new skate park, add to our efforts to promote healthy lifestyles in Richmond for all audiences,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones.
     The ribbon-cutting will be followed by tennis games and activities including prizes until 1 p.m. Families and children are encouraged to attend, and free pizza will be available for all who register to attend by September 12 at www.SignUpGenius.com/go/4090D49AAAF283-westover. Children 10 years old and younger will also be able to register at the event for fall tennis.
     “Tennis is a life-long sport that we want to encourage children to play and enjoy because it can lead to a sustained active and healthy lifestyle,” Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, said.
     The event is co-sponsored the United States Tennis Association, Mid-Atlantic Virginia and the Richmond Tennis Association, which will donate a check for $2,000 to the department’s youth tennis programs.
     The department’s second ribbon-cutting of the day will be held at 11 a.m. in Carter Jones Park to celebrate the opening of the City’s first public skateboard facility. Carter Jones Park is located at 2800 Bainbridge Street. The department worked with skateboarders and neighborhood residents to build a facility for all to enjoy. It is the only public skate park in a 16-mile radius.  
     “We are extremely pleased to be opening the city’s first public skateboard facility. This exceptional community facility provides skateboarders in the city with an appropriate public space to enjoy their sport,” said Dr. Merrifield.
     The City has also recently completed the installation of two swimming pool splash pads, built a new indoor swimming pool, and opened two new community facilities – Bellemeade and Broad Rock – in partnership with Richmond Public Schools, which are free for Richmond residents to use.

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Join the Exciting World of Club Swimming

The Richmond Racers Swim Team is looking for new team members to join the fun and exciting world of club swimming. The Richmond Racers is the City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ winning youth swim team. The team competes in the Virginia Community Swim League, which represents municipal teams, and in USA Swimming, which represents 2,800 swimming clubs across the United States.

      Children ages 5 to 12 who are interested in joining the team must be able to swim at least 25 yards using the freestyle stroke (breathing to the side) and the backstroke, while children 13 and older should be able to swim at least 50 yards using each stroke.

       To get started, an in-water swimmer evaluation is required. These will be held from now until August 15 at the following times and locations:

• Swansboro Pool (indoor), 3160 Midlothian Turnpike

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.

• Randolph Pool (outdoor), 1401 Grayland Ave.

Monday through Friday, 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m.

       Anyone interested in joining the team but unavailable at these times should contact Alethea Tyler by e-mail at Alethea.Tyler@Richmondgov.com. If you have additional questions about registration or fees, please call (804) 646-1174.

Youth Basketball Championship Games to be Held at Richmond Coliseum

The City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will hold its CarMax Summer Basketball League championship games on Wednesday, July 31, at the Richmond Coliseum. This is the first year the championship games will be played in the Richmond Coliseum. In previous years, the games have been held on the courts of the department’s Pine Camp Arts and Community Center on Richmond’s Northside.

      The league, funded with an $85,000 grant from The CarMax Foundation this year, gives hundreds of city children, ages 10 to 17, the opportunity to play organized basketball throughout the summer.

      The final championship games at the Coliseum will be free for the public to attend. Four youth divisions will play as follows:

• U-17 for boys age 17 and younger at 5:30 p.m.
• U-15 for girls age 15 and younger at 6:30 p.m.
• U-12 for boys age 12 and younger at 7:45 p.m.
• U-14 for boys age 14 and younger at 8:45 p.m.

     A brief ceremony will be held following the U-15 game to recognize The CarMax Foundation, media sponsor 106.5 The Beat, and others involved in the league. Lane Casadonte, WTVR Channel 6 sports anchor, will serve as the master of ceremonies for the program.

      Since 2007, CarMax has given more than $655,000 to restore and expand the department’s basketball courts at Pine Camp, renovate a building on the site for use as a concession facility, and expand league play to include more youth and a wheelchair league.

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Registration for Youth Football, Cheerleading, Soccer Begins in August

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will hold registration for youth football, cheerleading and soccer beginning in August. Children ages 14 and younger who want to play football or who want to participate in cheerleading can register beginning Aug. 1 through Aug. 22. Registration for those who want to play soccer will take place from Aug. 12 through Sept. 12.
     All registration will take place at the department’s community centers throughout the city. The registration fee is $25 per child/per activity for children who live within the City of Richmond. Children who do not live in the city can also register for these activities, but will be charged $55 plus a non-residency fee of $20.
     Proof of residency as well as proof of age are required at registration.
     If you have additional questions about registration, please call the community center where you wish to register. To find a list of community centers and their phone numbers, visit the department’s website at www.RichmondGov.com/parks or call 646-5733. The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities operates 18 community centers throughout the city.

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WASHINGTON REDSKINS CHEERLEADERS TO HOST DANCE AND CHEER CLINIC AT THE RICHMOND COLISEUM

First Ladies of Football and Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities team up to give back to Richmond youth

The Washington Redskins Cheerleaders and the City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities are teaming up to host a free Redskins Cheerleading Clinic for Richmond youth on Wednesday, July 17 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Richmond Coliseum.

      Approximately 250 Richmond area children who participate in the Richmond recreation department’s cheerleading and other programs will learn dance and cheer routines from the nationally recognized Washington Redskins Cheerleaders. Following the lesson, the children will be able to participate in a Q&A with the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders.

     "Opportunities for Richmond area youth is part of what I envisioned when we pursued the partnership with the Redskins organization, said Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “Our parks department hosts a robust cheerleading program that will be greatly enhanced by this experience."

     “The Washington Redskins Cheerleaders are thrilled to partner with the City of Richmond to give back to the city’s children – especially at an event that teaches young females sportsmanship and teamwork,” said Washington Redskins Cheerleading Director Stephanie Jojokian. “We are excited to teach area children cheerleading techniques, in addition to providing them with positive new female role models.”

      Attendees will receive a free Redskins Cheerleader Clinic T-shirt and a free lunch provided by the department and the City of Richmond. Awards will also be given to participants for outstanding performances and sportsmanship.

     "This is a wonderful opportunity for our children, many of whom seldom have experiences outside of their neighborhoods, much less the opportunity to experience something as special as this,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. “We want to thank the Redskins organization for their willingness to partner with us in our efforts to provide Richmond’s children with a high quality of life.”

     For more information on the First Ladies of Football, visit www.redskins.com/cheerleaders or follow the WRC on Twitter at @1stLadiesofFB. For more information on City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities programs and initiatives, visit http://www.richmondgov.com/parks.

    Media interested in attending the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders and City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities clinic should contact Angela Alfano of Redskins Public Relations at alfanoa@redskins.com or 703-447-5629.

  

ABOUT THE WASHINGTON REDSKINS CHEERLEADERS: From the Redskinettes to the First Ladies of Football, the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders (WRC) are the longest running cheerleading team in the NFL. Founded in 1962, and originally named the Redskinettes, the team has brought worldwide recognition to the Redskins, the Washington, D.C. area and the NFL. Adorned in burgundy and gold, these dynamic women have been featured in national magazines and have performed with Grammy award winning artists. Annually regarded as one of the best professional cheerleading squads, the WRC have executed their routines at Super Bowls and overseas as part of goodwill military tours. Striving to make a difference both on and off the field, these talented women have played an instrumental part in a variety of charity, community and military events since their inception. The WRC also boasts the longest running Junior Cheerleader Program in which they mentor hundreds of young kids.  For more information on the WRC, visit www.Redskins.com/cheerleaders.

ABOUT THE REDSKINS: Headquartered at Redskins Park in Ashburn, Virginia, and owned by Daniel Snyder, the historic Washington Redskins Football Club has won five World Championship titles including the 1937 and 1942 National Football League Championship games, as well as Super Bowls XVII, XXII and XXVI. Founded in 1932 as the Boston Braves in Massachusetts, the team changed its name to the Redskins in 1933 and relocated to Washington, D.C., in 1937. Since then, the team has become one of the most recognizable professional sports franchises in history, featuring three Hall of Fame coaches, 19 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (with seven others who also were Redskins) and becoming the first team in the NFL with an official marching band and fight song, "Hail to the Redskins." The Redskins have been owned by Dan Snyder since 1999, and beginning in 1997, began playing their home games at FedExField in Landover, Md.

ABOUT RICHMOND PARKS, RECREATION & COMMUNITY FACILITIES: The department oversees more than 60 parks and open spaces, 136 tennis courts, 60 playgrounds, 56 baseball and softball diamonds, 10 swimming pools, and numerous tot lots, picnic areas and exercise trails, as well as cares for more than 22 statues and monuments and 50 plaques and memorials.  In addition, the department operates 20 community center sites that provide a full spectrum of recreational services for youth, adults and the elderly, 19 licensed After School sites that assist students with homework and social development, the Dogwood Dell Amphitheater providing the annual Festival of the Arts, the Pine Camp Cultural Arts Center, a senior center and eight cemeteries. The department also oversees the James River Park, the largest and most visible park in Richmond, which includes more than 500 acres of shoreline and islands in the heart of the city offering opportunities for whitewater and flat-water canoeing and kayaking, fishing, hiking, biking, jogging and wildlife exploration. For more information on the department, visit www.RichmondGov.com/parks.

Contacts:             

Tony Wyllie    wylliet@redskins.com   703-726-7135

Daniel Sampson  sampsond@redskins.com    703-726-7422

Ross Taylor   taylorr@redskins.com  703-726-7368

Angela Alfano  alfanoa@redskins.com   703-726-7077

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Learn to Swim for Free This Summer

The department is offering free Learn to Swim classes for adults and children this summer at all nine of the department’s public swimming pools. The classes are sanctioned by the American Red Cross, and all of the department’s instructors are American Red Cross Certified Water Safety Instructors.

     “In a river city like Richmond, it’s important for every child to learn to swim,” said Dr. Norman C. Merrifield, director of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. “The river is such an integral part of our city, and it attracts so many people, that we believe knowing how to swim and understanding water safety is critical to the city’s population.

     “At some point, it’s likely that you or your child will be attracted to the river and visit our James River Park. When you do, we want you to be knowledgeable and to know how to swim,” he said.

     The free classes are designed for non-swimmers and will focus on an introduction to water skills, learning the fundamentals, and water safety. Each class will meet four times.

     The next round of classes for youth ages 5 through 12 and will begin on July 22. Morning and evening sessions are available. Another round for kids age 5 through 12 will begin on August 12.

      For non-swimmers 13 and older, classes will begin on August 9 and will be held in the evenings.

      Please register in advance by calling or visiting the pool of your choice. The department’s fun and friendly swim instructors are waiting for you!

Pool Locations & Telephone Numbers:

Battery Park Pool                   2917 Dupont Circle, 23231                           804-646-0127

Bellemeade Pool*                   1800 Lynhaven Ave., 23224                          804- 646-8849

Blackwell Pool                        238 E. 14th St., 23224                                804-646-8718

Fairmount Pool                       2000 U St., 23219                                       804-646-3831 

Hotchkiss Pool                        701 E. Brookland Park Blvd., 23227             804-646-3762

Powhatan Pool                        5051 Northampton St., 23231                      804-646-3595

Randolph Pool                        1401 Grayland Ave., 23220                          804-646-1329

Swansboro Pool*                    3160 Midlothian Trnpk., 23224                      804-646-8088

Woodville Pool                       2305 Fairfield Ave., 23223                             804-646-3834

*Indoor Pools

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Dogwood Dell Offers a Family Fourth and Fireworks

Pack a picnic, grab a blanket and bring the entire family to the City’s free annual Fourth of July Celebration and Fireworks Extravaganza presented by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities on July 4 at Dogwood Dell in Byrd Park.

     The program will begin with a Children’s Carnival from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. behind the Ha’ Penny Stage on the west side of the Carillon. It will include inflatables, face painting, and games. Vendors will be on hand selling food and drinks in the children’s area as well as in the circle in front of the Dell stage throughout the evening. Of course, the public also can bring their own food and drinks or snacks, but no glass containers or alcohol are allowed in the park.

      At 5:45 p.m., the program will begin on the Dell stage with jazz by Simply Kevin B. Next, Larry Robinson, the City’s carilloneur for more than 50 years, will follow with a performance on the Carillon bells at 7 p.m.

     At 7:30 p.m., the Richmond Concert Band will take the stage to perform a program of pop and patriotic music, including many traditional numbers the audience will recognize and want to sing along with. The highlight of the evening is the annual finale, the “1812 Overture,” played with cannon fire and Carillon bells as it was originally composed to be played. The piece will conclude with the annual fireworks display.

     Event parking will be available at City Stadium, located at 600 McCloy Street, with shuttle bus service to and from the Dell starting at 2 p.m. Individuals with valid handicapped parking stickers will be allowed to park in the Dell parking lot to the east of the Carillon. Carillon neighborhood streets will be closed to traffic and parking, and the Boulevard Bridge will close at approximately 6 p.m. and remained closed until the fireworks are over.

     The public is reminded that no dogs are allowed in the park, and the adjacent Barker Park Dog Park will be closed July 3, July 4 and July 5 for safety purposes.

     The rain date for the event is July 5. For last minute updates, call the Dogwood Dell production office at 646-1031.

     The Fourth of July Celebration is a part of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ Festival of Arts, the summer-long program of free outdoor family entertainment that takes place at Byrd Park’s Dogwood Dell amphitheater. The complete summer schedule is on the department’s website under Cultural Arts.

      

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