By Faith Harper
Tyler Paper
The Tyler Parks Department is preparing for a summer full of outdoor activities for children.
The city was approved for a Texas Parks and Wildlife grant to help buy equipment for a host of summer activities including hunting and shooting, sports, camping, environmental education, fishing and angling, canoe and kayaking, birding and wildlife viewing, orienteering and geocaching, nature photography and cultural history.
The grant will fund $33,600 to purchase equipment and the city will supply $11,000 worth of in-kind resources of staff and volunteers for this Tyler Outdoor Series program, according to the city.
“This is the first year, so to speak,” said Glass Recreation Center Manager Ann Santana. “We are rolling it into some of our existing programs like the Summer Playground Program enhancing those programs by integrating this new outdoor series.”
The playground series is a long running and popular program held at three parks: Emmett Scott Park on Confederate Street, City Park a Gentry Parkway and Broadway Avenue and at Pollard Park on south Amherst Drive.
The event runs from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. weekdays from June 9 to August 7. The programs are free and include snacks. Daily events include crafts, interactive dance and drama, among other activities.
“It’s exposing kids to the outdoors,” Ms. Santana said. “So often kids get stuck playing on their gadgets and don’t experience catching a fish or watching birds or leaning about nature. I think the outdoor series will be valuable to kids who are not otherwise exposed to the great outdoors.”
The programs offered are either offered at a discounted rate or free.
Youth archery starts in July and teaches the basics of how to shoot a bow and arrow and safety procedures to limit injury.
A family fun fishing tournament will be held on September 12 at Woldert Park. The event is free to the public.
Fly-fishing made easy starts in October at Tyler State Park.
Read the full article here.