August 10, 2010

All summer, Portland Parks & Recreation has offered fun, free, family-friendly activities to Portland-are residents. From concerts and free lunch programs to movies and rock climbing, there's been something for everyone.

Parks' rock climbing walls are the subject of "Putting up walls to break a few down," a story by Anna Griffin in today's Oregonian. Parks purchased two climbing walls a few years ago, and while private donations purchased two more, current funding only pays to operate two. The walls make appearances across town, usually at two parks each day. "Last summer," Griffin writes, "3,300 people took 33,000 climbs," and the walls have gotten even more use this summer.

Providing opportunities for healthy recreation is a priority for Commissioner Fish. The climbing walls and the activities offered through Parks' Summer Playground Program are some of the ways we're helping kids stay healthy during summer months. The Summer Playground Program also helps kids access healthy food at lunchtime, during a season when a number of kids don't get three healthy meals each day. For more on how Parks is helping Portlanders access healthy food, visit the Community Gardens section of Parks' website.

If you want to try your hand at the climbing wall, visit Woodlawn Park or Matt Dishman Community Center today, or click here for the full schedule of stops. The wall will be out and about until the end of this month, and then you'll have to wait until next summer to check it out.

If you're interested in organized activities but maybe not ready to attempt the climbing wall, Parks offers both Adult and Youth Basketball, Volleyball for a variety of ages, and indoor park times at parks across Portland. Click here for the indoor park schedule, and here for a listing of drop-in sports times.