External Website www.accleisureservices.com Administration 706-613-3800 706-613-3805 [Fax] Administration Hours Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.  (Various for facilities) Director Pam Reidy Administration Location Bishop Park 705 Sunset Drive Location Map Mailing Address P.O. Box 1868 Athens, GA 30603

New! Holiday Leisure Services hours: Athens-Clarke County Leisure Services outdoor parks and Sandy Creek Nature Center, will be open regular hours of operation on Friday, July 3 and Independence Day, Saturday, July 4.

Other department indoor facilities, including East Athens Community Center, Lay Park, and Lyndon House Arts Center will operate from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Regular hours of operation will resume Sunday, July 5, 2009.

New! Fireworks at Star Spangled ClassicFireworks will indeed be a part of this year’s Star Spangled Classic, Athens-Clarke County’s annual Independence Day celebration. The fireworks had been cancelled due to budget reductions, but the community overwhelmingly responded and the required $10,000 to fund fireworks was quickly raised.

The Star Spangled Classic is free and open to the public.  The event begins at 6:00 p.m. at Bishop Park with the fireworks set for approximately 9:30 p.m., dependent on weather and darkness. 

Citizens are reminded that county ordinances prohibit alcohol and smoking in public parks. Pets and grills are not allowed in Bishop Park for this event due to safety concerns and the large crowd.

For more information, please call Bishop Park at (706) 613-3589 or visit the Star Spangled Classic page at accleisureservices.com.

ACC Leisure Services now has online podtours available of the Historic Ware Lyndon House, the Zoo, and other sites at www.accleisureservices.com/podcasts.shtml.

New! Morton Theatre Centennial Survey:

The Morton Theatre, Athens’ Historic Showplace, will celebrate its Centennial in 2010. Plans are underway for a year-long celebration, and your help is needed.

Please, take a moment and complete a survey indicating the style of entertainment you most enjoy. The Centennial Committee will use this feedback in planning events.

New! Maternity Aqua Shape-Up:

Calling all mothers-to-be! The Athens-Clarke County Department of Leisure Services offers Maternity Aqua Shapeup at the Memorial Park pool.

Expectant mothers have their own aquatics aerobics class this summer. This program takes place Saturdays, June through August at 11:00 a.m. at the Memorial Park pool. The fee is $5 per class. Registration is underway by calling (706) 613-3580.

For more information, please call (706) 613-3580 or visit the ACC Leisure Services' Aquatics page.

Memorial Park, located at 293 Gran Ellen Drive, is a facility of the Athens-Clarke County department of Leisure Services.

All ACC Leisure Services pools open Tuesday, June 2 for the season. ACC Leisure Services operates five public pools:

• Bishop Park, 705 Sunset Drive

• East Athens Community Center, 400 McKinley Drive

• Lay Park, 297 Hoyt Street

• Memorial Park, 293 Gran Ellen Drive

• Rocksprings Park on Henderson Extension.

A Sneak Peek will be held at Bishop Park pool over May 30-31. The pool will be open 12:00-5:30 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 - 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.

During the regular season, pools are open Tuesday-Friday and Sundays, 1:00-5:30 p.m. Pools are open 12:00-5:30 p.m. on Saturdays. All pools are closed on Mondays for maintenance.

Pool admission is $1 per person. Individual pool passes are available for $20 and a Family Pass (for up to four) costs $30. Group passes and private pool parties on select nights are also available. Passes may be purchased at any department pool.

For more information, please call the ACC Leisure Services Aquatics Office at (706) 613-3580 or visit the ACC Leisure Services Aquatics page.

Construction has begun on the Peter Street entrance and bridge to the East Athens Community Park located at 200 Trail Creek Street. The entrance will help improve access from the Peter Street/Athens Perimeter/10 Loop areas into the park which was opened in May 2006. Construction began on February 16, 2009 and is scheduled for completion by November 2009. East Athens Community Park is a facility of ACC Leisure Services. For more information, please call (706) 613-3625.

AWARDS

• Georgia Recreation & Park Association (GRPA) State Agency of the Year Award (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) - Populations 80,001 & larger
• District 7 Agency of the Year Award from the Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA) Services Department.
• National Award of Excellence for the WE CAN (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition) Program.
• Sandy Creek Nature Center founder and long-time volunteer Walter L. Cook, Jr. was honored by the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) for his more than 30 years of service to local environmental and conservation efforts on their Pathfinderprogram.
• The Georgia Recreation and Park Association awarded the State Agency of the Year Award, as well as seven Innovative Program Awards; the Athens Disc Golf Club received a state Volunteer Award; The Lyndon House Arts Center received three awards for its programs; Special events at Southeast Clarke Park was recognized as Innovative Programs in the Programmers and Athletics Sections.
• Georgia Recreation and Park Association Cultural Affairs Section’s Dorothy Mullins Arts and Humanities Award for the Athens/Xalapa Artists’ Exchange program (2007)
• Georgia Recreation and Park Association's Marketing and Visibility Committee Publicity Award for a multi-event for the Passport to Fun coupon booklet for July is National Recreation and Parks Month (2007)
• Whit Davis Elementary School was honored with the Outdoor and Parks Section Volunteer Award, District 7, as well as the state Volunteer Award, for its work at SE Clarke Park.  Ms. Stroup’s classes mapped and cleared the trail at SE Clarke Park, using the activity as a service learning project. (2007)

FACILITIES & PROGRAMS
For a full list of Leisure Services facilities, visit the ACC Leisure Services Web site Facilities Page.

MISSION
To enrich the lives of our citizens through the stewardship of the county’s natural resources and the efficient and responsive provision of quality leisure opportunities, experiences, and partnerships.