By JAN McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Last year, Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department again helped people commune with nature, improve their fitness, and plus gave them places to eat lunch and listen to music in the parks.
For kids, parks and rec staff taught them to swim in the deep end, which way to run on the soccer field, and how to bicycle safely in town.
For adults, the department gave them a place to play pickleball outside, pathways to walk in the woods and through gardens, and a chance to go out on Friday evenings without the kids.
During a recent monthly meeting of the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Board, Director Kristin Otley presented a report on how the city in 2025 enhanced quality of life through parks, programs and facilities.
Among the highlights were the eight new pickleball courts outside the Community Center, and the 202 kids participating in the “Parents’ Night Out” so their parents could have a Friday evening without them.
Nature camps continued to mushroom, and fitness classes saw more participants.
The Parks and Recreation Department is in charge of 11 parks totaling 400 acres open to the public 365 days a year from dawn until dusk. Last year, volunteers were inspired to put in 598 service hours at Wintergarden Park, and 712 volunteer hours at Simpson Garden Park.
“We couldn’t do it without the volunteers,” Otley said.
Park buildings were rented out to the public 1,232 times, and shelterhouses were rented 267 times last year, Otley said.
The Covid pandemic took a toll on program participation, but the numbers seem to be rebounding, she said.
“Covid has had such a lingering effect,” Otley said. “We want people to be healthy.”
Following is some information from the 2025 report.
Recreation programs
- Winter camps: 39 kids.
- Make-it Take-it crafts: 51 youth participants, more than 100 overall counting family members.
- Wonder Lab Wednesdays: 35 youth participants, more than 70 overall counting family.
- Parents’ Night Out: 202 youth participants.
Youth sports
- Basketball leagues (winter and fall combined): 335 participants.
- Volleyball league: 187 participants.
- Soccer leagues (spring and fall combined): 535 participants.
- Flag football leagues (spring and fall combined): 109 participants.
- Track and field: 20 participants.
- Tennis (summer and winter combined): 67 participants.
Adult sports
- Volleyball leagues (winter, summer and fall combined): 25 teams.
Summer camps
- 131 kids participated in recreation camps (94% capacity).
- 64 kids participated in Safety Town camps (91% capacity).
- 64 kids participated in Horizon Youth Theatre programs.
- 268 total participants in summer sports camps and leagues, which included volleyball camp, basketball camp, multi-sport camp, T-ball and coach pitch softball leagues, and free drop-in wiffleball programs.
Adult recreation
- Adult Egg Scramble: 68 participants.
Swim lessons
- 471 participants.
Fitness classes
- 164 individuals participated.
- 6,443 total visits, which is up 18.6% over 2024.
Other free community events held included:
- 8 Lunch in the Park events. Attendance typically averaged 100-110 people per event purchasing lunches, and approximately 130-150 total attendance depending on the weather.
- 6 Concert in the Park events. Attendance was as high as 300 for the BG Area Community Band, but typically around 130.
- 6 Brown Bag Music Series events. Attendance typically averaged around 45 people per event.
- Halloweekend of Fun: A variety of activities including Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt at Wintergarden Park (150 people), Family Nerf Night at Community Center (30 people), and kids Halloween crafts at Needle Hall (80 people).
- Jingle Bell Jam: About 350 in attendance over the course of the day featuring family games, winter crafts, visits with Santa, choir concerts, reading from library, and a fun run.
Natural resources programs
- Conducted 66 special request programs, averaging 45 minutes each, for schools and community groups, predominately at Wintergarden Nature Preserve and school classrooms.
- Conducted nine week-long, half-day nature camps at full capacity.
- Conducted 33 planned public programs, partner programs, events or information tables.
- Hosted a special event to highlight native gardening. The Native Plant Yard Tour was attended by 70 individuals.
Natural resources volunteers
- Conducted 29 requested service group activities centered around invasive species removal, and native plant seed harvesting and processing at Wintergarden. These programs, along with individual requests for service hours (typically by BGSU students and scouts), as well as assistance requests by staff for program support, resulted in 598 service hours of help for the Natural Resources division.
Habitat management in parks and city properties
- Wintergarden: Conditions and schedules did not line up for a burn in the spring or fall. Park staff is looking to spring 2026 as well as stepping up prescribed mowing to set back woody plant encroachment in the prairie and savanna areas.
- Community Center: Still working toward opening up the prairie area with additional trails and designated trail head with a map and rules posted.
- Wastewater Treatment Plant: This 12-acre installation has just completed its second growing season. It is maturing as expected with an increase in abundance of plants from the seed mix being recorded. The dominant invasive species attempting to establish itself is Canada thistle, however, a mowing routine has been implemented to suppress it.
Simpson Garden Park
- 16 volunteer programs with 712 total volunteer hours.
Operations
- Completed renovations of Simpson meeting room.
- Addressed major structural issues at City Park Pool.
- Saved more than $15,000 in vehicle and equipment repair costs by performing preventative maintenance and service in house instead of sending equipment to a dealer for repairs.
Facilities
- Ribbon cutting and opening of eight new outdoor pickleball courts.
- Rented buildings to the public 1,232 times, serving approximately 51,171 people.
- Rented shelterhouses to the public 267 times, serving approximately 9,363 people.
