By Jessica Perkins

November 14, 2011

New Recreation Center Improves Education and Wellness

The Paducah Recreation Center has been open less than a month and the activities calendar is already full. Located at 1527 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, the center offers a variety of classes for all ages including afternoon and weekend programs for children in grades K-12, classes for senior adults, and activities for teens and families.

The center is home to several weekly sports leagues, including men’s, women’s, and co-ed Futsol, co-ed volleyball, and co-ed dodge ball.

Prior to the opening of this new facility, the Paducah Parks Department was limited to offering sports leagues at the gymnasium at the former Jetton High School—an unsuitable space for most other types of community activities and events.

When the opportunity was presented to purchase the building where the Margaret Hank Life Center was located, Paducah Parks Department Director, Mark Thompson, saw this as a chance to better serve the needs of the citizens of Paducah. Having a larger, well-maintained facility opened the doors to providing more classes, a fitness center that families could enjoy, and improved after-school programs for school-aged children.

Thompson brought the idea to the City Commission. The commissioners jumped at the opportunity to create and improve programs that promote health and wellness among children and adults in the community, at an affordable rate.

The decision to relocate and expand to the new facility at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive has opened the doors to growth. It is the only public facility that offers cooking classes and exercise programs for children and a wide range of options for children and adults, including a walking club for senior adults and yoga classes for all ages. The facility hosts open gym hours daily.

“Outside of private gyms and clubs, there has not been a public facility that has been able to provide for the recreation needs of the entire community,” said Amie Clark, Recreation Superintendent for the Paducah Parks Department.

Some additional on-going events the center will host include a quarterly Teen Movie Night, for ages 13-18. On Saturday, November 19, they will show the movie, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” from 6 to 9 p.m. Students will receive door prizes. The cost is $1.

As the center continues to develop, more will be added to the center’s schedule. In fact, they are currently working on adding LaCrosse to their league schedule and health and wellness classes such as Body Pump. New classes for cooking, quilting and knitting are also in the works.

“Community participation is key to keeping the doors of this facility open. There are great programs here designed to keep children engaged and out of trouble,” said Clark. “In January, we’re looking to add events tailored to meet the recreation needs of families in our community.”
The center is available to rent for private events and parties. The facility includes a full kitchen.

Corporate sponsorship opportunities are also available. Call the Paducah Parks Department for more information on sponsoring leagues and other activities.

To participate in classes and programs at the Paducah Recreation Center, families can pay an annual membership fee of only $5. Register before December 31 and the membership fee will be waived through December 31, 2012.

For more information or a schedule of classes please call the Paducah Parks Department at 444.8508.