Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 13, 1990 TAG: 9005090434
SECTION: DISCOVER THE NEW RIVER VALLEY PAGE: 29 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ROBERT RIVENBARK SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
\ Montgomery County\ The county Recreation Department office and park are on Virginia 811, a road linked with U.S. 460 by County Drive between Blacksburg and Christiansburg. The park is open daily from 8:30 a.m. until dark.
Included in the park are a Junior Olympic-sized pool, outdoor amphitheater, nature-fitness trails, picnic pavilions, two all-purpose fields, a soccer field, a model airplane flying field, a basketball court and two playgrounds.
Swimming lessons are offered for all ages. Call Terry Cauldwell at 382-6977 for information.
The department offers a summer play camp for children that runs in two-week sessions. Parents can send children for two weeks or the whole summer. Call Deb Donnelly at 382-6980 for more information.
The department also offers adult and youth leagues in most sports, various trips geared to senior citizens, and special events. Inquiries about sports should be directed to Reggie McCraw at 382-6978.
Further information about county parks, programs and facilities is available by calling 382-6975.
\ Blacksburg
In addition to the county's facilities, the Blacksburg Parks and Recreation Department offers a public golf course, hiking and bike trails, parks and a swimming pool.
The town opened a new park last fall, Nellies Cave Park, on Grissom Lane near Nellies Cave Road. It has a picnic shelter, playground, two athletic fields and eight horseshoe pits.
The town park at Giles and Turner streets includes eight tennis courts, horseshoes, five picnic shelters, playing fields and a fitness court.
Caboose Park, which is part of the town park, is a favorite with children because of the old railroad caboose and an array of playground equipment.
Tom's Creek Park includes a playground, lighted softball field and picnic shelter.
Blacksburg also has neighborhood parks and playgrounds on Primrose Drive, Westover Hills, McBryde Drive, Owens Street, DeHart Street, Sunrise Drive and Country Club Drive at Highview Street.
The golf course and swimming pool are at the end of Graves Street near Willard Drive. The town also has fitness trails from the Virginia Tech Duck Pond to the Hethwood subdivision and at the end of Country Club Drive.
The community center on Patrick Henry Drive includes exercise rooms, a game room and a multipurpose gym.
The recreation department also has classes and summer day camps for children.
For more information, call 961-1135.
\ Christiansburg\ Montgomery's county seat has several parks.
The Recreation Center Park at 95 College St. has three picnic sites, basketball and volleyball courts, horseshoe pits and new playground equipment.
Kiwanis Park off Roanoke Street offers a children's playground, baseball and softball fields, and a picnic shelter.
The Depot Street Park includes basketball courts, a children's playground, and a combination exercise-jogging trail.
Circle Park on Ellet Drive has a basketball goal and open spaces.
Wayside Park on U.S. 460 has picnic tables.
Christiansburg Primary School has been renovated and can be used for football and baseball.
The department offers a wide variety of youth and adult athletic programs and senior citizen programs, including aerobics, quilting, horseback riding, gymnastics, rock climbing, and cake decoration.
For more information, call the department at 382-2349.
\ Radford\ The city Recreation Department has nine parks and fields.
Bisset Park on First Street has a swimming pool, jogging trail, gazebo, lighted tennis court, full picnic facilities, fitness court, soccer field and playground.
Riverview Park on River Street includes picnic facilities, playground equipment, a basketball court, a volleyball court and a football-soccer field.
Sunset Park at Eighth and Preston streets has a half-court basketball court, playground equipment and softball fields.
Haven Heights in the East End has playground equipment and basketball courts.
James Oakley Fields Park on 17th Street has lighted women's softball fields, two basketball courts and a picnic shelter.
Wildwood Park off First Street has several nature trails.
Hodge Field has youth baseball fields.
Sisson Park has a basketball/volleyball court, open fields and playground equipment.
Riverside Park includes playground equipment, a picnic shelter and basketball court.
Most sports are offered in both youth and adult leagues. For more information call the department at 731-3633.
\ Pulaski
The Town of Pulaski was host to the National Softball Association Men's State Tournament for classes B and C, and the Dixie Youth Southwestern regional Youth Baseball Tournemant for ages 9-10 and 11-12 this weekend at Loving Field. The three-day tournaments wind up today.
The town has many public parks.
Gatewood, five miles west of town at Gatewood Reservoir, has camping, fishing, a picnic area, bath houses, boats, a nature trail, motor rentals, and an amphitheater. Gatewood also plans a bluegrass festival once each month during the summer. Call 980-2561 for concert information.
Calfee, at Pierce Avenue and Fifth Street, is home of the Atlanta Braves' Appalachian League farm club. Calfee also is used by Pulaski County High's baseball and sandlot football teams, Pulaski County Middle School's football team, and the Dixie Youth baseball team.
Loving Field Complex on Old Airport Road has four softball-youth baseball fields, four youth baseball-women's baseball fields, a youth soccer field and two practice fields. Two of the fields are lighted.
Macqill Village on Sixth Street has equipped playgrounds, two tennis courts and a practice field.
Cool Springs has a playground and dressing facilities.
The Pulaski National Guard Armory offers men's basketball, youth basketball for boys and girls leagues.
Pulaski Middle School gymnasium offers men's and youth basketball for boys and girls.
The Pulaski Senior Citizens Center offers field trips to surrounding areas for sightseeing and shopping.
Call Eddie Sutphin at 980-1000, ext. 47, for information about recreation leagues.
\ Floyd County\ The Floyd-Floyd County Public Recreation Facilities Authority's recreation facilities in Floyd are at the schools.
Floyd County High School has a baseball field, tennis courts and a baseball field/track, and Floyd Elementary has tennis courts, playground equipment, a basketball court and the only lighted softball field in the county.
The elementary schools at Willis and Indian Valley have tennis courts, football/softball-baseball fields and some playground equipment.
Check Elementary has football-baseball fields, tennis courts, and some playground equipment.
For more information, call Susan Handy at 745-3777.
\ Giles County
Giles County has no countywide recreation department; each locality handles its own recreation program.
Wolf Creek Park in Narrows, which is open during the summer, has public swimming in the creek, tennis courts, a playground, horseshoes, and a concession stand. There will be a Fourth of July celebration in the park.
Castle Rock Recreation Center in Pembroke offers an 18-hole golf course, swimming pool, lighted tennis courts, basketball courts, nature trails, shuffleboard and primitive camping sites.
Pearisburg Park features a swimming pool, lighted tennis courts, softball fields, basketball courts and a picnic area.
Pearisburg also offers several programs in the school gymnasium, including basketball and volleyball. This year they are also offering non-competitive activities such as aerobics, ballroom dancing, a walking club, photography, cake decorating, canoe trips, and caving.
Several towns offer youth and adult league sports. For more information call 726-2423 in Narrows; 921-3527 in Pearisburg; and 626-7191 in Pembroke.
by CNB