COLUMN: Summer fun at Central Park

     Here we are again – the summer season is already at our door! Summer is a busy time full of vacations, weddings, sporting events, and outdoor fun. I know for our family and many others, finding fun learning opportunities for all ages is always a high priority. This year finding activities close to home is easier than ever.

     For anyone in Jones or surrounding counties, Central Park offers a wide variety of summer fun.  Central Park itself offers miles of mowed hiking trails, a sand volleyball area, horseshoe pits, and a swim-at-your-own-risk sand beach. The newly restored 25-acre lake with ADA accessible fishing pier and walkway is a popular fishing spot for those fishing from shore or a boat. Your catch might include black crappie, largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, and channel catfish.

     If your family likes to go on picnics, you will enjoy several open-air shelters, picnic tables, grills, and a playground area to entertain the kids.  If camping is your style Central Park offers primitive to fully modern campsites and two small rental cabins for those without a tent or camper.

     When at Central Park make sure to stop in at the Central Park Nature Center. The Nature Center houses a variety of local amphibians and reptiles, as well as exhibits on local plants and animals. Children completing the “Nature Center Challenge” win a small prize and are eligible to win a free camping certificate at the end of the season. The Central Park Nature Center is open from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend. During the week, the center is open when staff are present.

     If your family enjoys fishing, you will not want to forget to enter the Jones County June Family Fishing Challenge. Each family member participating will be entered into a drawing for fun outdoor prizes.   Families can take advantage of the Iowa DNR free fishing weekend on June 4, 5 and 6 to fish without having to purchase an Iowa fishing license  (all other state fishing rules apply). Fishing equipment can be checked out at the Central Park Nature Center.

     You won’t want to miss the Jones County StoryWalk Celebration at Central Park on June 5.  Help us celebrate the new Jones County StoryWalk Trail at the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 10 a.m. Activity stations with educational themes, crafts, and games, as well as live music, celebrity readers, and a food stand will follow from 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. around Central Park Lake. Visit https://www.jonescountyiowa.gov/conservation/   for more detailed information on this event and a map of activity stations.

     “Summer Programs” at the Central Park Nature Center begin on Memorial Day weekend. These fun educational programs are geared towards all ages and are often offered at no charge.  Most Saturday programs begin at 1 p.m. in the Central Park Nature Center. A listing of current events and start times can be found at https://www.jonescountyiowa.gov/conservation/   Children attending any three nature programs are eligible to receive an Iowa Junior Naturalist Certificate and collectable patch.

     Whether you are camping, hiking, picnicking, swimming, or just out for a Sunday drive Central Park is a wonderful local destination.  Located near Amber and Center Junction, right in the center of Jones County, Central Park is a trip worth taking.    I hope you have a chance to visit this hidden gem right in your own backyard.