Register Now for Youth Soccer, Baseball

Registration for youth soccer and baseball is currently underway at all City Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities’ community centers.

     Children must be between ages 4 and 15 to register to play co-ed soccer. To play co-ed baseball, girls must be between the ages of 5 and 11 and boys must be between the ages of 5 and 15. Girls, ages 12 to 16, can register to play girls’ softball.

     Registration is $25 for children who live in the city. Those who register to play both sports will receive a discount and pay only $35. Non-city residents must pay an additional fee of $20 to register.

     The deadline to register is April 12, and a $5 late fee will be charged thereafter.

     Registration requires proof of age, proof of residency, and a signed parental or guardian consent form.  

     Following is a list of community center locations. For more information, call the community center nearest you or 646-1175.

• Ann Hardy Plaza                     3300 First Ave.                       646-4824
• Battery Park                           2803 Dupont Circle                 646-0944
• Bellemeade                             Register at T.B. Smith              646-8490
• Blackwell                                300 E. 15th Street                   646-8630
• Broad Rock                            Register at Hickory Hill            646-8663                    
• Calhoun                                  436 Calhoun Street                  646-4083                       
• Chimborazo/Bill Robinson        721 N. 35^th St.                       646-1175                    
• Creighton                                201 Creighton Road                 646-4511
• Fisher                                      3701 Garden Road                  646-5609
• Hickory Hill                            3000 E. Belt Blvd                     646-8663
• Hillside                                    Register at T.B. Smith              646-8490
• Hotchkiss                                701 E. Brookland Park Blvd.   646-4466
• Humphrey Calder                    414 N. Thompson St.              646-1780
• Pine Camp                               4901 Old Brook Road            646-3672                      
• Powhatan                                 5051 Northampton St.            646-0973
• Randolph                                 1415 Grayland Ave.                646-1080
• Reid                                         1301 Whitehead Rd.               646-0152
• T. B. Smith                               2015 Ruffin Road                   646-8490
• Thompson                                7825 Forest Hill Av.               646-1209
• Westover                                 1301 Jahnke Road                  646-8995
• Whitcomb                                2302 Carmine Street               646-2988                                          

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Department Offers Lifeguard, Water Safety Instructor Training

 The department will offer a Lifeguard Training course starting April 1. Participants who complete this course will receive an American Red Cross Certificate for Lifeguarding/First Aid/CPR/AED that is good for two years.

     To take this training, you must be at least 15 years old and pass a prerequisite swimming test that includes being able to swim continuously for 300 yards, tread water for two minutes using only the legs, and successfully complete a timed event. The Prerequisite Swim Test will be held April 1 from 10 a.m. to noon at the department’s Swansboro Pool, located at 3160 Midlothian Turnpike.

     The Lifeguard Training course will begin that afternoon, April 1, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and continue April 2 through April 5 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. All sessions will be held at the Swansboro Pool. Successful completion of the course requires participation in all sessions, demonstration of competency in all required skills, and passing a written test.

      The department is also offering Water Safety Instructor Training. This course prepares students to become American Red Cross Water Safety Instructors. Participants must be at least 16 years old and successfully demonstrate the following abilities:                         

• Tread water for 1 minute
• Back float for 1 minute
• Front crawl for 25 yards
• Back crawl for 25 yards
• Breaststroke for 25 yards
• Backstroke for 25 yards
• Sidestroke for 25 yards
• Butterfly for 15 yards

      The skill demonstration test will be held April 1 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and the course will be held April 2 through April 5 from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. and April 6 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. These classes will also be held at the Swansboro Pool.

     For more information, call 646-1174.

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Do You Want to Be a Lifeguard?

Are you 18 years old or older, and would you like to work as a lifeguard for the City of Richmond? The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities operates eight public swimming pools in Richmond and currently is seeking qualified candidates to hire as lifeguards and pool managers.

     Safety is the highest priority at City pools, and all lifeguard candidates must be certified lifeguards and pass a pre-employment evaluation to demonstrate their competency and professionalism in rescue, First Aid, and CPR/AED knowledge and skills, before they can be hired. To demonstrate their competency, candidates must attend one of the evaluations that will take place at the Swansboro Pool, located at 3160 Midlothian Turnpike, on April 9, April 11, and April 12 between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

     During these evaluations, candidates must show that they are able to swim 300 yards in less than 10 minutes and recover a 10 pound object in 8 feet of water in less than one minute 40 seconds during a passive victim rescue, an active victim rescue, and a submerged victim rescue.

     Candidates also will be given a Lifeguarding/First Aid & CPR written exam at the evaluations that they must pass.

     For more information, call 646-1174.

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Department Offers Developmental Lacrosse Program for Girls

The department will host a Developmental Lacrosse Program for girls ages 8 to 14 on Sunday, March 24.

     The program will be held at the Blackwell Playground, located at 15^th and Maury streets, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event is sponsored by Nick Costas and the City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, and is free to attend.

      For more information, please call 804-232-1982 or e-mail Wyatt.Kingston@RichmondGov.com.

Free Eggstravaganza Set for March 23

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, in partnership with Radio One, will hold a free “Eggstravaganza” for children 11 and younger on Saturday, March 23. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the department’s Pine Camp Arts and Community Center, located at 4901 Old Brook Road, and feature three egg hunts, each for a different age group. A total of 25,000 candy-filled eggs, some offering prizes, will be up for grabs. 

     The first egg hunt will be held at noon for children age 10 and 11. At 12:30, a second egg hunt will be held for 7- to 9-year-olds, and at 1 p.m., another egg hunt will be held for 4- to 6-year olds. Children who want to participate should bring their own basket. Prizes will include Martin’s gift cards, tickets to see the Richmond Raiders, and custom made hula hoops from RVA Hoop House. 

     The event is free to attend and also will include music, games, several inflatables, a Bunny Town, a petting zoo, a planting station with biodegradable planters and various seeds, and hula hooping. Vendors will be on hand to sell food and drinks.

     Parking for this event is available at Henderson Middle School next to Pine Camp. No public parking will be allowed at Pine Camp.

Department's City Dance Theatre Wins Regional Awards

City Dance Theatre, the department's youth dance troupe, won an award for every piece they performed in Portsmouth at the DanceAmerica Regional Competition, that was held the weekend of March 1.

     The troupe performed 12 pieces, and of these, ten received first place trophies and two received second place trophies. This more than qualifies the company of young dancers, who range in age from 9 to 16, to compete in the national DanceAmerica competition to be held in Chicago this summer.

      In addition, Keola Jones received the award for the highest scoring junior female soloist, and Monay Boisseau received the award for the highest scoring senior female soloist. These awards qualify both youth to compete for the title of Dancer of the Year in Chicago.

     The company received six additional special recognition awards:

·         Judges Overall High Score Award for “Lest We Forget”

·         Best Emotional Execution for “Lest We Forget”

·         Best Costume for “Metemorphose”

·         High Score, Intermediate Large Group Modern, for “Run Mourners, Run”

·         High Score, Intermediate Small Group Lyrical, for “For All We Know”

·         High Score, Intermediate Duo/Trio Lyrical, for “Precious Lord”

     A traditional Hawaiian dance staged by Trenna Jackson also qualified for the nationals in the Ethnic/Folkloric category.

     “I am extremely proud of the City’s Dance Theatre youth and instructors,” said Mayor Dwight C. Jones. “Their dedication, determination and commitment to excellence has aided them in winning these awards and recognitions in the DanceAmerica Regional Competition. It is my hope that all residents recognize the accomplishments of these youth and wish them well as they travel to the national DanceAmerica competition.”

     The pieces were choreographed by Rodney L. Williams and Talita Jackson, who teach for the department’s City Dance Program at its Pine Camp Cultural Arts and Community Center. Annette Holt manages the dance program for the department’s Cultural Arts Division.

     City Dance Theatre has a long-standing history of winning awards in both the regional and national DanceAmerica competitions having collected more than 100 first place trophies.

Organizations Wanted to Give Away Free Summer Meals

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities is looking for organizations to help provide free meals for children during the summer. Any group, organization or church that offers summer programs for youth age 17 or younger can participate in the department's Summer Meals for Kids program and receive free meals for the children in their program for any length of time between June 17 and August 30, however the deadline to apply is March 22.

      An informational session for anyone interested in joining the program will be held Wednesday, March 13, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Byrd Park Round House. The Round House is located near the intersection of Lakeview and South Davis avenues in Byrd Park. No registration or commitment is required to attend the informational session, and representatives of interested organizations are encouraged to attend to have any questions they may have answered.

      If an interested organization is unable to attend, information about participating in the program can be obtained by calling (804) 646-5698 or e-mailing LaShawn.Robinson@richmondgov.com.

      During the summer of 2012, the department’s Summer Meals for Kids Program delivered nearly 268,000 free meals to 122 locations in Richmond and the surrounding area. 

      The Summer Meals for Kids Program is provided by the City’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities in partnership with the Virginia Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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New Summer Camp for Teens Offered

The department is offering a new summer camp for teenagers ages 12 and 13 this year. The camp will be held Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., June 24 through August 23. Registration is $300 and includes breakfast and lunch each day.

     The camp program is designed especially for teens to help them discover the world, experience new things, and make new friends. It will include hiking, rafting, music, dance, theater, and learning about entrepreneurship, fashion, community service and much more. Not only will the camp be fun, it is designed to encourage self-discovery, to help build self-confidence and independence, and to provide teens with skills for future success.

      Registration is on a first-come first-served basis and takes place on weekdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Westover Community Center, 1301 Jahnke Road. Some scholarships are available. For more information, call 646-0181.

     This camp is for city residents only, and proof of age and residency are required at registration.

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Register Now for Summer Camp

Now is the time to register your child for summer camp with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. The department’s summer camp for children ages 5 – 11 will be held at 16 community centers around the city from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday starting June 24 and continuing through August 23.  Each day the children will be provided with breakfast and lunch and engaged in physical exercise and fun, creative activities and road trips surrounding the theme “Road Trip USA.”

      Registration is $250 per child for city residents and $400 for non-city residents and takes place at the following 16 sites on weekdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Battery Park, 2803 Dupont Circle
• Bellemeade, 1800 Lynhaven Ave.
• Blackwell, 300 E. 15^th St.
• Broad Rock, 4615 Ferguson Lane
• Creighton Court, 2001 Creighton Rd.
• Fisher, 3701 Garden Rd.
• Hickory Hill, 3000 E. Belt Blvd.
• Hotchkiss, 701 E. Brookland Park Blvd
• Humphrey Calder, 414 N. Thompson St.
• Mary Munford, 211 Westmoreland Ave.
• Pine Camp, 4901 Old Brook Road
• Powhatan, 5051 Northampton St.
• Randolph, 1415 Grayland Ave.
• T. B. Smith, 2015 Ruffin Rd.
• Westover, 1301 Jahnke Rd.
• Whitcomb Court, 2302 Carmine St.

      All registration is on a first-come first-served basis, and proof of age and residency are required at registration. Some scholarships are available. For more information, the public can call 646-0181.

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Department Celebrates Young Artists

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities will celebrate Youth Art Month in March with an exhibit at its Pine Camp Cultural Arts and Community Center featuring the artwork of nine Richmond children.      

      The exhibit, titled “Little Mermaids,” opens on March 15 with a public reception for the artists from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and will be on display through April 19. The exhibit is a collaboration of the department and the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. The artwork features paintings of life-sized mermaids created by the young artists while enrolled in the Visual Arts Center’s Art After School program. 

      “We are very pleased to collaborate with the Visual Arts Center to showcase the creativity of our city’s youth and give the public a chance to see these delightful pieces,” stated Norman C. Merrifield, director of the City's Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. “I think this exhibit illustrates the wealth of creativity in Richmond and the possibilities it holds for the future,” he said.

     Pine Camp is located at 4901 Old Brook Road. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 am to 2 p.m.

      The department offers a variety of art as well as dance classes for both youth and adults at its Pine Camp Arts and Community Center. A complete list of classes is available on the department’s website at http://www.richmondgov.com/Parks/documents/ProgramGuide.pdf, or for more information the public can call (804) 646-3674. 

     The Visual Arts Center of Richmond provides multiple levels of engagement to encourage and support creative thinking and bring the joy of making art to the Richmond community.

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Community Centers Closed, Programs Cancelled

The department has closed all of its Community Centers for the remainder of the day, cancelled all department youth basketball games scheduled for today, as well as cancelled all classes and programs at Pine Camp Cultural Arts and Community Center for the remainder of the day.