The Shawnee County Parks and Recreation offers a variety of activity and sports programs to people of all ages. These programs last all year long at a reasonable price and give Topeka residents a chance to get involved in the community.
The Rec is dedicated to the city of Topeka by providing activity programs that keep residents happy, strong and healthy. The nine community centers are the heart of these neighborhoods where people can participate in sports leagues, fitness programs or art classes.
The community centers offer a variety of activity programs for children and adults as well as having affordable pricing for participants. Youth programs such as toddler and youth open gym are Monday-Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. and are free for children 18 and under. Adult open gyms include basketball, volleyball and pickleball during the week and cost $2 per player.
“All of our open gyms are popular at Crestview, but it does depend on the time of the year,” said Chris Essman, recreation leader at Crestview Community Center. “Toddler and youth gyms are up there, but volleyball is our most attended at night.”
Basketball and volleyball adult gyms are for ages 18 and up. The gyms are open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. These sports have leagues throughout the year where teams can sign up on the website and compete against other teams in officiated games.
Pamela Knoxsah, senior mass media major, has attended volleyball open gym and competed in volleyball leagues at the Crestview Community Center for 12 years and continues to make weekly appearances.
“It actually can get pretty competitive, but that’s what I love about it,” Knoxsah said. “I think it is great for the community of Topeka to get involved with these things. I love meeting new people and making lifelong friendships, especially if we share the same love for the sport.”
The COVID-19 pandemic brought attendance to a halt in the last few years, but the programs continue to transition to normalcy and have welcomed more new faces.
“It was a lot busier before COVID-19 hit. After that, it got different, but we still see a good amount of people coming in,” said Sarah Sepulveda, recreation aide at Crestview Community Center. “Evening volleyball has stayed pretty consistent though. People love reasons to get out of the house and come here to play.”
If mainstream sports are not your forte, there are other fitness programs to try such as yoga, zumba, karate and tai chi. These programs cost up to $4 a visit but are included in the Shawnee County Parks and Rec fitness pass. This pass includes all fitness classes and starts at five visits for $20, 10 visits for $40 and 20 visits for $80.
“I think it is a good chance to be active and get involved in your community,” Essman said. “Getting to know other people in your area is important. People have been coming here for years to participate and still love it. It really is just about staying active and being healthy, and these are all good options to get a better lifestyle.”
To get more information on Shawnee County Parks and Rec programs, visit their website https://parks.snco.us/.
Edited by Jeremy Ford and Aja Carter
