2013-06

As you are out enjoying Cobb County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs' parks and activities, be sure to bring your camera and capture the fun and memories of your sports activities, the beauty of nature and wildlife in the parks, and anything else that shows why you enjoy your day at the park. The 9th Annual "Fun in the Park' Photo Contest will be accepting entries throughout the summer. Enter up to 10 of your best shots for fun and awards! Open to all photographers. Digital and print photos accepted. See rules and download entry form below at the photo contest web page.

'Outdoor Romping and Creek Stomping' programs offered by the Natural Resource Management unit of Cobb County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department provides children an opportunity to learn about nature in a fun and hands-on way. Each program is $2 per person in attendace (including parents) and pre-registration is required. Here is a list of the programs scheduled for this month:

Start out your scavenger hunt hike with one of our staff guiding you down the trail following animal tracks. Guess what animal you think you are following, while then see if your guess is correct as you find pictures, fur, shells and possibly bones from the animals. The last part of the hike will be self-guided as you continue down the trail, over to the pond and then back to where you started with nature activities along the way.

Discover what life was like on a farm without electricity & running water. Spinning, churning and other life skills will be covered. Pick up a burlap bag and join in a sack race, help wash a few clothes in a wash tub with lye soap or enjoy a leisurely game of checkers.

Location: Wright Environmental Education Center, 2661 Johnson Ferry Rd., Marietta, 30062 (Parking is on Post Oak Tritt Road behind the Chestnut Ridge Christian Church.) Have you ever been walking through the woods when you discovered a tiny house made of twigs, rocks, bark, leaves and moss? Who built this small house? Was it built by or for fairies? Maybe it’s for some of nature’s wild friends such as frogs, snails, lizards or insects. Come join us for this imaginative, fun program where participants will learn about these tiny homes and build some for the fairies and small animals to use in the woods. With a little sprinkle of “pixie dust” the magic begins!

Bring your own bike and safety helmet. There are 14 miles of trails at this park that are great for hiking, observing nature and mountain biking. Park staff will share the basics of mountain biking and lead participants on a short ride.

To register for any of these great programs or for additional information contact, Karen Faucett at karen.faucett@cobbcounty.org or (770) 528-8803.

Now that school is out for the summer, many of Cobb's summer camp offerings are still available. Cobb Parks offers summer camps meeting the needs of almost any interest. Camps are offered in arts and performance, recreation programs, tennis, golf, and therapeutics for special-needs individuals. Registration is in progress for summer camp programs. For more information, see the summer camp page on the park's web site. Many camps fill up fast, so don't be left out this summer. Online registration is available for many camp programs.

SPLOST Projects Update

On March 15, 2011, a referendum on a four-year SPLOST (Special Local Option Sales Tax) was approved by voters. This program will be in effect from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2015. From this SPLOST, Cobb County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs will be utilizing $82,023,000 for revitalization, facility renovations and upgrades to parks and facilities. Planning, coordinating and scheduling projects are in their early stages, but you will now be able to see some of the work in progress or soon to begin. Here is a list of current projects:

Harrison Tennis Center design is completed and the project has been issued for bid.
The design of the pool renovation and pool house replacement at Sewell Park is completed and the project has been issued for bid.
The replacement of the cross-tie retaining walls at Lions Park is substantially completed.
The installation of sod on fields 1, 2 and 3 is completed at Noonday Creek Park. Fields 4, 5 and 6 have been regraded and the installation of the irrigation system and laser grading is moving forward on fields 9 – 12.
Kick-off meetings for the design of Al Bishop Park improvements, Shaw Park improvements and Sandy Plans Park improvements were held in early May.
The replacement of scoreboards throughout the parks system is continuing. Approximately 65% of the existing scoreboards have been replaced.
The historic architect and remainder of the design team have started the design work at Hyde Farm. The most critical part of the work is the assessment of the existing buildings and that work is well under way.
New lighting at the Silver Comet Trail Floyd Road trailhead has been installed.
Contracts for design of improvements at Nickajack, Lions and Jim Miller Parks were recently awarded by the Board of Commissioners.
A Request for Proposals for the design of Powder Springs Park renovation has been sent to Purchasing and is currently advertising.

These are just a few of the numerous projects that you will see in the next few years updating and revitalizing our parks' system. For a complete listing of projects and updates, see the Splost 2011 web page on the Cobb County website.

Horseshoe League Starting Soon at Larry Bell Park
The Cobb Area Horseshoe League meets every Thursday at 5:30pm, continuing through September. The league plays at Larry Bell Park, located at 592 Fairground Street in Marietta (courts are on Glover St. near Fairground). All skill levels are welcome and it is free to participate. Registration is not required - just show up on Thursdays! For information regarding the horseshoe league, contact Dennis Hajek at (770) 992-8422 or dennyhajek@yahoo.com.

Hyde and See Nature Week Nature Camp at Hyde Farm
Join the Natural Resource Management Unit for our 2013 Day Camp at Hyde Farm. The week long camp is aimed at children entering 3rd, 4th and 5th grades who enjoy being outside. Camp will focus on nature and the great outdoors, so most camp hours will be spent outside. Campers will learn about nature through hands-on activities such as hiking/walking nature trails, heritage/history walks, playing nature/conservation games, identifying wildlife, live snake demonstration, and a 1 mile hike to the Chattahoochee River.

The camp will be held July 15th-19th from 8:45am to 12:30pm daily. The cost for the week is $65.00. This camp is for 3rd-5th graders for the 2013–2014 school year. For more information or to register, contact Kaye Wilson at (770) 528-8824 or kaye.wilson@cobbcounty.org. Registration is also available online.

A Variety of Art Camps Offered This Summer
Cobb's art centers are gearing-up for a fun and exciting summer of art camps. Here is what you will find this summer at our art facilities:

The Art Place - This year’s camp theme is ARTifacts: Can You Dig it? Have you ever wondered how ancient civilizations are discovered, studied and revered for their artistic contributions to the world? “ARTifacts: Can You Dig It” art camp will take young artists through time to discover the role that art has played in the landscape, crafted tools, creatures and culture of early civilizations. Unearth and celebrate early societies through the interesting items they left behind while using unique art mediums, techniques and ARTifacts to create finished masterpieces. Art campers projects will largely be inspired by ancient art, pyramids, geoglyphs and labyrinths, tombs, ancient artifacts and early dwellings to name a few. Have fun creating 2D and 3D works of art that cover painting, printmaking, collage, drawing and more! In addition, theatre games, skills and a specially written play will be performed by older campers.

Students can only register for one of the elementary camps and must have reached 4 years old by March 11th, 2013 (new policy for summer 2013). Also new this summer is the 'Dig a Little Deeper' camps for ages 9-12 (one week per child only). Summer camp registration is currently in progress. All of our camp offerings are available at www.theartplace.us and you can register in-person or register online through our website.

Mable House Arts Center - Give your child an Asian Art experience without leaving the country. We will tour a variety of destinations including China, India and Indonesia. Students will receive instruction in multiple artworks during this art emersion camp. Each week offers a different curriculum. Stay for just the morning or combine afternoon classes for an extended day. Afternoon camps include clay, performing arts, drumming and much more! Summer camp registration is currently in progress. Call the Mable House Arts Center at (770) 819-3285 to register or register online or in-person.

The Art Station-Big Shanty - 'Art Across America' is the theme for our summer art camps. Strap on your seat belt and enjoy the ride on this fun-filled cross-country road trip! Each day we'll "visit" a different art museum and campers will create their own art based on that facility's collections. We offer camp options for ages 18 months through 18 years of age. Summer camp registration is currently in progress. Don’t wait, register early as camps are expected to fill quickly!

E.T.C. is the Exciting, Entertaining, Educational Theatre Company. This energetic and fun camp is for students who enjoy the performing arts and want to be on stage. Campers will rehearse a musical show to be performed for family and friends. Campers should have an equal interest in singing, dancing and acting. No experience required—just high energy and enthusiasm.

Prompt Camp is a musical theatre camp - not a performance opportunity. Campers will work on their musical theatre skills in acting, singing and dancing through study in vocal technique, stage presence and good audition materials. An excellent follow-up for an E.T.C. camper.

“Ants in Your Pants and Worms in Your Plants”
As part of the summer reading program for Cobb County Libraries, the Natural Resource Management Unit will be doing nature programs for children at the following library branches:
Sibley Library - June 4th (Tuesday) at 10:30am - 1539 South Cobb Drive, Marietta, 30060, (770) 528-2520
Gritters Library - June 5th (Wednesday) at 3:30pm - 880 Shaw Park Road, Marietta, 30066, (770) 528-2524
West Cobb Library - June 19th (Wednesday) at 3:30pm - 1750 Dennis Kemp Lane, Kennesaw, (770) 528-4699
Kemp Library - June 20th (Thursday) at 11:00am - 4029 Due West Road, Marietta, 30064, (770) 528-2527
Powder Springs Library - June 25th (Tuesday) at 11:00am - 4181 Atlanta St., Powder Springs, (770) 439-3600
Kennesaw Library - June 26th (Wednesday) at 3:30pm - 2250 Lewis Street, Kennesaw, 30144, (770) 528-2529
Stratton Library - June 27th (Thursday) at 12:00pm - 1100 Powder Springs Rd., Marietta, 30064, (770) 528-2522
For storytime age groups or other library programs, contact your nearest library.