Provided by Sherry Fletcher, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, City of Stillwater

Swim Lessons

Summer is coming and for many that means sunshine and swimming.

Registration is taking place for the City of Stillwater’s American Red Cross “Learn to Swim Program” for the upcoming 2012 summer season.

Amy Jo Frazier, city’s aquatic supervisor, said, “The municipal pool opens May 26 and swim lessons will begin the first full week of June, but we are now accepting registration for American Red Cross certified lessons for beginners through lifeguard readiness.”

The cost per session is $50 per person for each session. Credit cards accepted.

Registration forms are available at the Parks and Recreation Administrative Offices at 315 E. 9th Ave.Offices hours are Monday though Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

This year there are four two-week sessions for youth. Classes will meet Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday with Saturday reserved for make-up due to rain outs.

Youth sessions are as follows:

• Session 1 (June 4–15) at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 6 p.m.
• Session 2 (June 18–June 29) at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 6 p.m.
• Session 3 (July 9–20) at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 6 p.m.
• Session 4 (July 23–Aug 3) at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 6 p.m.

There is one adult session:

• Session 1 (July 9–Aug 2) on Monday and Thursday at 6 p.m.

There are three parent-and-tot sessions. This class will give parents and children ages six months to three years an opportunity to enjoy the water together. The instructor will emphasize adjusting to the water and developing a positive attitude about water.

• Session 1 (June 4–15) on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 6 p.m.
• Session 2 (June 18–June 29) on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 6 p.m.
• Session 3 (July 10–Aug 3) on Tuesday and Friday only at 6 p.m.

According to Amy Jo Frazier, recreation supervisor, “With the addition of a new accessibility lift and stairs, we are excited to offer both shallow and deep water aerobics for adults this year. These classes provide good cardio and core workouts as well as strengthening all over muscles.”

There are two adult water aerobic sessions held at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 30 minutes and Saturday at 11 a.m. for 1 hour:

• Session 1: June 5–30
• Session 2: July 10–Aug 4

The cost per session is $35 per person.

Located in Couch Park at 800 E. 12th Ave., the City of Stillwater Municipal Pool opens for the season on Saturday, May 26.

The facility, with its 400,000-gallon pool, features six 50-meter lanes, a 12-foot diving well, two slides, a separate, gated wading pool for younger children and concession with a shaded seating area.

American Red Cross certified lifeguards are always on duty; however, children under the age of seven must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Tennis Lessons

The City of Stillwater Tennis Lesson Program, designed to teach the beginner and advanced beginner players, is set for this summer for both youth and adults. Registration is currently underway.

According to Amy Jo Frazier, recreation supervisor, “The beginners’ class is perfect for the player with little or no experience. Instruction will concentrate on proper grip and the four fundamental strokes: forehand, backhand, serve and volley. While the advanced beginners classes are for players who have taken lessons before and need to improved their stroke and technique.”

The lessons are held at Couch Park Tennis Courts, 800 E. 12th Ave. Participants provide their own rackets.

The schedule for youth sessions is as follows with all beginner lessons held at 10:30 a.m. and all advanced beginner lessons held at 9:30 a.m.
Lessons take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays:

• Session 1: June 4–15
• Session 2: June 18–June 29
• Session 3: July 9–20
• Session 4: July 23–Aug 3

There are two adult sessions held at 6 p.m. Adult sessions meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays only:

• Session 1: June 5–28
• Session 2: July 10–Aug 2

The cost per session is $50 per person, and credit cards are accepted.

Registration forms are available at the Parks and Recreation Administrative Offices at315 E. 9th Ave. Offices hours are Monday though Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Download swimming and tennis lesson schedule

For more information contact Frazier by phone: (405) 747-8070 or by email:afrazier@stillwater.org.

This article is sponsored by Tricia Carpenter Insurance Agency

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TRAVERSE CITY– Tails will wag at the city’s first public dog park come summer.

The city plans to build an off-leash dog park at the to-be-renamed Veterans Memorial Park, near the corner of Bay and Division streets. The project is on track to hold a grand opening in July, said Gary Howe, city parks and recreation commission chair.

“Our idea (is) to make one that’s walkable to several neighborhoods (and is) about socializing the dogs as well as the people,” he said. “I think there’s an opportunity for more urban dog parks as well.”

Work continues to raise money, finalize user guidelines and choose a new park name.

Supporters raised about $16,000 — enough to pay for fencing and other amenities. Jami Moore, who helped lead the fundraising effort, said the dog park group continues to accept money for additional improvements. Donors hailed from throughout the region, downstate and as far away as California, Arizona and New Jersey, she said.

“We did it in about four months. We were very pleased, given all of the important organizations out there and people being pulled in all directions,” she said.

The city issued a request for bids this week for the park fence, which will enclose a grassy area east of the park’s tennis courts.

The parks commission discussed dog park rules, which will be forwarded to the city commission for approval, Howe said.

“The basic one is, ‘You are responsible. Owners are responsible for their dogs,’” he said.

Rules will be posted at the park and include “common sense” items, Howe said. Owners must clean up after dogs, and all dogs must wear a collar with identification and current registration tags. Dogs can’t be left unattended.

The parks board also continues to discuss what to rename the park. Howe said residents responded with plenty of suggestions, but more than 100 were “dog-park specific” — not the naming intention.

It’s possible the city will pick two names, one for the park in general and a non-legal name for the enclosed dog park area, Howe said. He wants the parks board to send a name recommendation to the city commission by June.