Basketball for those in grades second through sixth will begin Oct. 21 and run through Dec. 4 on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Banfield Elementary School. Youth volleyball for grades fourth through sixth will also be held at Banfield on Saturday mornings from Oct. 25 through Dec. 6. People may register at our office, 121 4 Ave. NE.

There will be a Friends of the Nature Center-only fall mushroom class with Sammie Peterson from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 28.

Space is limited to 30 participants and pre-registration is required for this free program. Please call 507-437-7519 or email info@hormelnaturecenter.org.

If you are not a member you can join. For Friends info go to the www.hormelnaturecenter.org website and click on “Interested in joining the Friends” for information.

Stop in to Super Fresh at 2104 Fourth Street NW to buy your tickets now for the 31st annual Halloween Warm-Up which will be held Oct. 3 and 4. If you are interested in playing a part give Matchbox Theatre at call at 507-437-9078 for more information.

Riverside Arena Public Skates at 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday and 2:15 to 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 4. The cost to skate is $4. If you need skates rentals are $1.

We will offer youth volleyball for those in fourth through sixth-grades starting on Oct. 25 and running to Dec. 6 at Banfield Elementary on Saturday mornings. The cost is $20 and you can sign up at our Park Office.

The Youth Activity Center opens at 3:30 p.m. on Monday for those in grades fifth through 12th in Mower County. All activities are free and supervised, located in the east rooms at Riverside Arena. Enter through the doors on the northeast side of the building and walk down the hall.

We have pool tables, air hockey, DDR, Guitar Hero, Wii, PlayStation 3, high-speed wi-fi and a computer lab, large screen TV’s for games, cards, table tennis, dart boards, foosball, a piano, and there is always free popcorn.

The hours at the center are 3:30 to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 3:30 to 9 p.m. Friday, 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. It opens at 1 p.m. on days with no school, and it closes at 6 p.m. when the Bruins are playing at home. Parents you are welcome to stop in and check it out.

You can find information on cancellations of our programs by liking us on Facebook as we are putting that information out there when it happens.

If you do not have Facebook you can go to the city of Austin web page at www.ci.austin.mn.us, click on departments, click on Park and Recreation, scroll down and click on the Facebook logo and the information will come up.