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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us July 11, 2005 Breaking out of the mold Offerings from parks department include some unusual choices By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings Kay Thomas , center, and other students partake in Nia, a new trend in body-and-mind wellness. Photos by Orville Hector | Ashland Daily Tidings The Ashland Parks and Recreation Department has long offered such traditional programs as softball, tennis and swimming. But as the department adapts to changing interests, it now offers such activities as skateboarding, interior design and bicycle maintenance classes. “The field of parks and recreation is looked at as a series of trends,” said Department Director Don Robertson. “We wanted to be in touch with our home audience and take a look at the demographics. I was told in the past in Ashland, there would be closed signs on businesses because people were out playing softball. Softball leagues are no longer a big trend.” Robertson, the former parks system manager for Gresham, a community in the Portland metropolitan area, took over as Ashland’s park department head at the beginning of 2004. Even during his interview and hiring process, elected Ashland Parks and Recreation commissioners made it clear they wanted him to examine existing programs, eliminate those where interest had faded and launch new activities geared toward residents’ varied and unusual tastes. Custom fit The parks department has retained such classics as golf and swimming lessons and the annual Big Al’s Tennis Tournament. Laure Vukovic , left, receives a few pointers from Cathy Egelston, who teaches drawing at the Railroad Park through the parks department. But now members of Cathy Egelston’s outdoor drawing and watercolor classes are frequently sprinkled through Lithia Park, focusing on water droplets on a leaf, rendering the rocks and reflections of the Upper Duck Pond or capturing the likenesses of birds. “One time a heron was very obliging. The fun thing about being out of doors is there will be surprises,” she said. “Another day, a mallard came and took a nap right by us.” Other intellectual pursuits offered through the department include piano lessons. Italian language classes are on the horizon. Many activities are aimed at youngsters, from Mommy & Me Tap Dance Class for the toddler set to skateboarding classes at the Ashland Skate Park and trips throughout the Rogue Valley for bowling, skating, kayaking, rafting and paintball for older kids and teens. Ashland’s Senior Center came under the wing of the parks department beginning this month. The senior center, parks department and Ashland YMCA are coordinating trips to local attractions. Creating partnerships As it is with the trips for senior citizens, the parks department is coordinating with other local organizations to offer programs. The Rogue Valley Transportation District is sponsoring the skateboarding classes. The parks department worked with the Ashland Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission to stage Ashland’s annual bike swap, and the department now offers bicycle maintenance, fitting and safety classes for the legions of residents who ride for recreation or who have abandoned cars altogether. “As budgets get tighter, parks departments are looking for partnerships,” said Rachel Teige, recreation superintendent for the Ashland parks department. “We’ve formed partnerships with the YMCA and SOU. We want to figure out ways that we’re not programming over each other. If we don’t offer it, we know of someone who does.” Rather than add an army of parks department staff members to teach the new classes, the department is using the knowledge and skills of people in the private sector. “I’m really grateful to the parks department for offering this opportunity,” said Rachael Resch, a Nia bluebelt instructor and physical therapist who teaches Nia weekday nights at The Grove. Nia, a melding of dance, martial arts and yoga moves, is quintessential Ashland, with its combination of joint-friendly, low-impact cardiovascular conditioning and focus on consciousness. “It really is a practice, not just an exercise. It encourages personal growth and well-being,” Resch said. In keeping with a goal to not overextend the resources of the parks department, most of the offerings are fee-based, with participants paying for the cost of many of the programs, according to Robertson. That can lead to some expensive classes, such as the $110 five-day Circus Academy day camp or the $140 overnight version of the five-day Exploring Nature youth camp. But most activities cost far less. The parks department does have scholarships available for kids who otherwise could not participate, according to Robertson and Teige. The parks commission chose to continue to subsidize some classes, such as swimming lessons, Robertson said. Many activities are free, including games, crafts and water play at Garfield Park, a free introductory lesson at Oak Knoll Golf Course, the skateboarding classes, senior swim hour at the Daniel Meyer Pool and All-Comers Track Meets. Robertson said the parks department will continue to make adjustments to offerings to meet the needs and interests of Ashlanders. “It’s been fun,” he said. “It’s exciting to see people come in and say, ‘Oh, man! I didn’t know you did this.’ They make suggestions and say, ‘You should offer this!’ That’s great feedback.” For a free Summer 2005 Recreation Guide, call the parks department at 488-5340 or visit www.ashland.or.us/ recguide. Online registration is encouraged and is available at ashlandparks.recware.com. Staff writer Vickie Aldous can be reached at 482-3456 x 3018 or [email protected]. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Online Pharmacy Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations Hammocks Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. 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