You can still sign up for our dance camp held Monday through Friday July 13-24 at I.J. Holton Intermediate School. The cost is $30 per student and you must register at the Park and Recreation office. The camp is offered to students in Kindergarten through sixth grade.

 

Kickball tournament

Hey kickball teams there will be a kickball tournament sponsored by The Bakery Lounge and held at the Todd Park South Complex at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 25. We have registration forms in our office or you can stop into the Bakery and sign up.

 

Swimming pool fun

Sign up now to try the next water aerobics class which will start on July 16 through Aug. 6 from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. The cost is $35 per session.

We will also offer adult lap swim during the water aerobics session on the south three lanes from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the Tuesday and Thursday evenings that class is being held.

The hours for public swim at the pool are 1 to 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday; 6:30 to 8 p.m. Monday and Wednesday evenings; 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday and 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday.

Individual season memberships are available for purchase at the pool or at the Park and Recreation office for $30. Daily admission is $3 per person and evening admission is $2 per person. Ages 2 and under are free

 

Parks and the Fourth

During the Fourth of July events please follow the added park rules which will not allow dogs or pets in the park. If you are riding your bike please walk them once you enter the park. Same goes for skateboards.

There are events that will begin on Friday, July 3 with Family Day and stage entertainment from 2 to 10 p.m. followed by fireworks. Saturday the Fourth the Mini Piggy YMCA run will begin at 10:45 a.m. followed by the parade at 11 a.m. The stage entertainment at the Veterans Pavillion will be from 1 to 10 p.m. followed by fireworks. Sunday, July 5 the fun continues with the Morning Lions Fly-In breakfast from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Austin Airport; five-mile Hog Jog leaving from the Nature Center at 8 a.m., kids fishing contest at Eastside Lake at 10 a.m.; 25-mile Dan Ulwelling bike race leaves from the Nature Center at noon. Get your raffle tickets for $5 which has up to $35 in retail coupons and the opportunity to win from five great prizes.

Tickets can be purchased from any Ambassador, Chamber Board Member or at the Chamber office through July 2.

 

At the nature center

After the free program in the Ruby Rupner Auditorium, enjoy the rest of the afternoon by getting outside and discover nature with your child. Enjoy free canoe and new kayak rentals, a guest presenter with a nature program or music theme, pond scooping for aquatic critters, netting butterflies and dragonflies, archery, geocaching, crayfish hunting, self-guided nature trail activities and more from 1 to 4 p.m. on eight select Thursdays ­— Thursday, July 9, 16, 23 and Aug. 6 and 20 and one Friday — July 31. For more information go to www.hormelnaturecenter.org or call 507-437-7519.

Check with the nature center if you would like to rent a canoe or kayak for use on Dobbins Creek to East Side Lake or on the pond. Rentals are available Monday-Saturday (no rentals on Sundays or City of Austin holidays), now through Sept. 26. They rent on a first come basis.

The park pavilions are being heavily used which is wonderful to see. Everyone using public facilities need to consider others in the area and follow park rules and city ordinances. A few rules to follow while using our parks: Parks are closed from 10:30 p.m. to 7 a.m., there is no camping, no driving or parking on the grass, no glass and no hitting of golf balls and the speed limit is 15 miles per hour. Violations of this ordinance can carry up to a $700 fine.

The wCity Ordinance on noise is called Prohibiting Unnecessary Noise and can be viewed on the city web site at www.ci.austin.mn.us, city code, and search 10.31. Thank you very much for following our rules and please enjoy our parks.