You can do it all at community park

Get out your skateboard!

A brand-new skate area opened during the spring at Port Aransas Community Park. The 10,000-square-foot facility includes concrete bowls and other skater favorites. A kidneyshaped bowl is 7.5 feet deep. The “street” part of the skate area includes ramps, stairs and features that skaters refer to as “hubbas” and “flats” and “gaps” and “grinds.”

A large concrete slab for roller skating already is a feature at the park. Pickup in-line hockey games sometimes are played, especially on Sunday afternoons.

To get to the park from the ferry landing, turn right onto Cut-off Road, then another right on Ross Avenue. The park’s address is 700 Clark Parkway.

One of the most recent additions at the park is a six-footwide new path that branches off an existing trail and heads out into the Port Aransas Nature Preserve at Charlie’s Pasture. The 3,300-foot concrete hikeand bike trail opened in late 2009.

Port Aransas Community Park’s heated pool offers lounge chairs and benches, shade, showers, lockers, and poolside cubbyholes where you can keep your towel and shoes safe. Vending machines line a shaded picnic area.

Beginning Tuesday, June 1, the pool’s schedule goes like this:

• Water exercise is 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., Tuesday through Friday.

• Swim team practice is 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.

• Youth lessons are 9:40 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. to 11:10 a.m. Tuesday through Friday.

• Lap swim and water exercise is noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Lap swim also takes place from noon to 1 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

• Lap swim and water exercise also is held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

• Open and lap swimming is 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

• Lap lanes aren’t available during swim lessons and swim team practice.

• The pool is closed Mondays.

Special events include:

• Memorial Day Splash Day, on Monday, May 31, when visitors may swim for half price.

• Father’s Day, when fathers swim free if accompanied by a child, Sunday, June 20.

• Water Wackiness, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday, June 26, and Saturday, Aug. 7.

The schedule is subject to change. Call the pool at 749- 2416 to get updates, or check the South Jetty.

Adult swim lessons are available on request. The city Parks and Recreation Department oversees operations, including the pool operation. The department’s phone number is 749-4158.

Swimmers under 2 years old are admitted free. Swimmers who are in the age bracket between 2 and 18 are admitted for $1; 19 to 59 years are charged $2 admission; and those who are 60 and older are charged $1.

The park also contains a jogging trail, three ball fields, a soccer field, play area and picnic pavilion. The jogging trail, for running or walking, is pet friendly. There are pet stations around the park to discard man’s best friend’s outdoor deposits.

The long trail is a 1.1-mile course. The short trail is just under a half-mile long.

A tee-ball field lies next to the two baseball fields. These fields are used for Little League and high school baseball games. A concession stand and separate restrooms are located next to the fields.

The larger baseball field doubles as a soccer field.

For more information on the park’s activities, events and facilities go to www.cityofportaransas. org.