Austin area students registered in ISD 492 will now have an opportunity to try a different type of sport.

Park and Recreation is partnering with the Austin Area Cycling Club. This club will also compete as the Austin Area High School Cycling Club. If this is something that you would like to try before you commit you will have that chance from 6 to 9 p.m. on June 11 in the far west lot of Riverland Community College by Apple Lane.

If you have a bike please bring it as well as a helmet. This event will be put on by the Minnesota High School Cycle League so you will also need a signed waiver from your parents, which are available in our office at the Park and Recreation. For more info, you can call us as 507-433-1881.

For those interested in summer pole vaulting there will be sessions offered again this summer in Riverside Arena. Registration forms are available in our office and are returned to Pete Walker.

We are looking for students that will be entering fifth through eighth-grades that want to learn how to play tennis or continue to enhance and learn new skills. Stop in to the Park and Recreation to register.

Camp will be Monday through Thursday, June 9 to June 26 with Fridays scheduled for rain make-ups. Tom Fritz and Gary Olson will be running the camp. Cost is $30 per person.

We are also partnering with Dylan Kaercher who will be offering two theater camps this summer, June 9 to 13 and July 21 to 25. There will be a performance on each of the Fridays so that the students can showcase what they learned from the camp. You can sign up at our office. For more information call Dylan at 507-438-0221. The cost of camp is $100 per participant, per camp.

Thursday Nature Play will begin at 1:30 p.m. on June 19 with David Stokes.These are free programs for you to enjoy with your children. There are Canoe rentals, pond scooping for aquatic critters, netting butterflies, archery, kayaking, geocaching, nature programs and more. Seniors have their own program from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. so get outside and enjoy nature.

Check out the Jay C. Nature Center for their summer activities as well at www.hormelnaturecenter.org or by calling their office at 507-437-7519.

Need a place to rent? Check out our park pavilion selection for your family gathering, birthday party or special event. Our wonderful jewel, the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center also offers rental opportunities. You may give us a call to check on availability or stop in our office for details.

The Park and Recreation office is located at 121 Fourth Ave. NE and our phone number is 507-433-1881.

The Nature Center phone number is 507-437-7519 and they are located at 1304 21st St. Northeast.

We are taking registration for summer activities. You can see our summer brochure on our website at www.ci.austin.mn.us. Click on “City Departments,” and then “Park and Recreation.” You will find it by scrolling down to summer brochure 2014.

The Riverland Ball Park and both Todd Park Softball Complexes have been very busy since Memorial week-end and this past week hosted sub-section and section games. Congratulations to those teams that won and thank you to all the teams that played. We hope you all had a great experience and enjoyed playing at our complexes.