***Sugar Sand Park Community Center is open Monday-Friday from 9am-8pm, and Saturday & Sunday from 9am-4pm for walk-in permit sales and customer service questions.
2020-2021 Beach, Boat, & Dog Permits are available NOW for purchase at City Community Centers. City beach, boat, and dog park/beach permit-holders are still encouraged to renew permits online. Facial coverings are required in all City facilities.
The Science Playground, Splash Pad, walking paths & outdoor basketball courts at Sugar Sand Park are open for public use. Athletic fields are open for individualized or family use only.
Please remember to practice #ResponsibleRecreation, and continue to utilize hand sanitizer, wear face masks, and keep physically distant while visiting our parks and facilities.
Please be advised that the Children's Science Explorium, Willow Theatre, Carousel, and Field House are currently closed.
Pavilions are not being rented at this time. They are available on a first-come first-serve basis, for ten people or less. Decorations are not permitted.***
Early Afternoon Explorers is BACK!
To accommodate for Covid-19 restrictions, we will be using the virtual platform GoTo Meetings to provide you with with hands-on activities and immersive learning experiences, all from the comfort of your own home! Please make sure to use a desktop computer or laptop.
These monthly, hour-long classes for home-schoolers offer explorers a chance to participate in fun and educational science programs, focusing on a different topic each month.
Classes are one hour long, and divided into age groups. The first expedition takes fledgling explorers (ages 6 to 9) on an engaging and interactive adventure of the basic scientific principles. More in-depth exploration is at hand for the more experienced trail-blazers (ages 10 to 12), in the second hour of the program.
Cost: Resident $10; Non-resident $12.50
Registration Information:
Click here to learn about online registration.
After registering, a meeting link will be emailed to you. Make sure a current email address is on file with your Webtrac account.
Due to the nature of this program, we will not be able to accommodate same-day registrations. Please register at least one day in advance.
Pick up for program supplies will begin one week prior to the date of the program, and will end the day before the program.
NOVEMBER
Calling all budding botanists! This month's hands on lesson on seeds and flowers is sure to leave your curiosity blooming!
Date, Times & Ages:
Mon, Nov 9 1:00pm Ages 6-9 (Activity No. 113859 W5)
Mon, Nov 9 2:00pm Ages 10-12 (Activity No. 113859 W6)
Standards Met
SC.1.N.1.2- Using the five senses as tools, make careful observations, describe objects in terms of number, shape, texture, size, etc
SC.1.L.14.2- Identify the major parts of plants, including stem, roots, leaves, and flowers
SC.2.L.16.1- Observe and describe major stages in the life cycles of plants and animals
SC.3.L.14.Su.b- Recognize that plants grow toward light and roots grow down in the soil
SC.4.L.16.1- Identify processes of sexual reproduction in flowering plants
SC.4.L.16.Su.a- Recognize that many flowering plants grow from their own seeds
DECEMBER
This month's hands on lesson on color and light will brighten your day! Learn about ultraviolet light and how sunscreen works.
Date, Times & Ages:
Mon, Dec. 14 1:00pm Ages 6-9 (Activity No. 113859 W7)
Mon, Dec. 14 2:00pm Ages 10-12 (Activity No. 113859 W8)
Standards Met
SC.1.E.5.4- Identify the beneficial and harmful properties of the sun
SC.3.E.5.2- Identify the Sun as a star that emits energy; some of it in the form of light
SC.3.P.10.3- Demonstrate that light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object or travels from one medium to another
SC.3.P.10.4- Demonstrate that light can be reflected, refracted, and absorbed
SC.7.P.10.1- Illustrate that the sun’s energy arrives as radiation with a wide range of wavelengths
SC.7.P.10.3- Recognize that light waves, sound waves, and other waves move at different speeds in different materials