Outdoor movies offered by the Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority, such as “The Avengers” being aired at the South Lowndes Recreation Complex Friday, are another example of our great public recreation programs in Valdosta and Lowndes County. 

VLPRA should not be taken for granted. Our community centers include Craig Center, Forrest Street Center, Mildred Hunter Center, the Senior Center, the South Lowndes Recreation Complex and the Wood Valley Community Center, each offering numerous social and recreational opportunities for families, youths and organizations. 

The county boasts more than 30 parks with a wide array of facilities that include baseball and softball fields, disc golf, tennis courts, fishing, walking tracks, picnic areas, playgrounds and more. In many ways, parks and green spaces help define a community and having a wide array of public parks points to a quality of life that is one of the many things that make living, working and playing in our region attractive. 

Freedom Park, for example, seems to have something for everyone. The 250-acre park has a premier baseball/softball complex, 10 acres of soccer fields, a paved walking track, an 18-hole disc golf course, a dog park, playground and a multipurpose field, making it one of the most sprawling public parks in the region. We should also point out that Freedom Park has a significant economic impact hosting baseball, softball and disc golf tournaments. 

John W. Saunders Memorial Park houses picnic shelters, a paved walking and nature trail, outdoor basketball courts, a splash pad, playground and amphitheater.

The McKey Park and H.B.A. Tennis Center has 12 tennis courts, a sand volleyball court, two large playgrounds, picnic pavilions and green spaces. 

North Lowndes Park has a large multipurpose field, playground, picnic area, skate park, a nice walking trail, a small pond and picnic tables.

Scott Park has a lighted paved walking track, football field, outdoor basketball courts, tennis courts, a covered stage, a baseball, softball, recreation field and picnic shelters.

There is also Vallotton Youth Complex is a 13-acre facility that hosts athletics throughout the year with lighted youth baseball fields, a full-size soccer field and two youth fields with lights. The park also has a playground and picnic shelter.

Chitty Park has a beautiful fishing pond. Bank fishing is available with plenty of bream and bass, along with picnic tables and benches for guests to enjoy.

Clyattville Community Park offers baseball, softball, soccer, football, Frisbee and open fields for general recreation. It has an outdoor basketball court and walking track that circles a playground. 

Drexel Park is one of VLPRA’s most used parks and is home to the annual Azalea Festival. The park is bordered by the Azalea City multipurpose trail and has a large play structure with bridges, monkey bars and slides as well as the swing sets.

Langdale Park is 178 acres along the Withlacoochee River with mountain bike and hiking trails, a boat ram, picnic area, giving a true outdoor experience.

Other parks include Eastwind, Fellowship, Greer, Harrington, Hightower Jaycee Shack, Library, Naylor Community, Oris Blackburn Memorial, Payton, Riley-Ledford, Taylor-Cowart, Vallotton Big Field, Bland, Hyta’s, J.L. Lomax, Lovett, Newbern, Olympic, Shannon Hill Memorial, Smith, Snake Nation and Tom’s Corner parks. 

Our point is that sometimes it is difficult to see the forest through the trees and if we are not careful we will take our wonderful parks and recreational facilities for granted.

Just an impressive as the facilities and outdoor areas for public recreation, are the men, women and young people that staff our parks and recreation department along with the hundreds of volunteers who help with programming and youth sports. 

The Valdosta-Lowndes Parks and Recreation Authority under the leadership of Director George Page is one of the most awarded and recognized public parks programs in Georgia. 

The National Recreation and Parks Association recognizes the month of July as National Parks and Recreation Month and we just want to take the opportunity to shine the light on our great facilities and outdoor spaces while thanking the director and staff for the hard work they do each day to serve our community.