Charleston Parks and Playgrounds Charleston, South Carolina has long been popular for its many recreational features; natural and wildlife attractions, festivals and functions, among the most popular are the cultural and arts events. Thus culture and the arts seem to be woven throughout many of the other annual events taking place in town: jazz and blues festivals, food and fashion weeks, and many happenings held by the Department of Natural Resources each year. Some portion of many of these celebrated events take place in Charleston's ubiquitous parks. Open fields, some with stages, beaches, piers, playgrounds, often resembling gardens all abloom with seasonal bushes and flowers or adorned with scultures, these family friendly parks have supported education, recreation with big community extravaganzas like multicultural celebrations from the Scottish Festival to The African American Heritage Days or the Latin American Festival to the Cajun Festival where area residents and visitors come together to participate, learn about other cultures, hear the music, taste the food and enjoy the weather to the more focused neighborhood driven activities like local games and sport events but all the while, large or small, citywide or community based Charleston Parks are well organized event promoting fun, health and whole family activities while engaging in neighborly contact and getting involved in the kinship of community.
The City of Charleston offers a wide range of events and activities for family members from the youngest to the oldest with education, athletics and arts programs including music, youth sports, aquatics, golf, tennis, and gymnastics programs for youngsters to high school aged kids. There are seasonal adult sports programs as well which include: soccer, softball, football and ultimate Frisbee. And for the older generation The City of Charleston offers a walking club, bocce, fencing, social groups, bingo and a wide selection of informative health seminars, shopping, dining and movie excursions throughout the year providing opportunities for seniors to stay in shape, keep active socially, participate in the community and continue to learn. Charleston also recognizes the wealth of knowledge to be appreciated in its seniors and organizes opportunities for seniors to teach special needs citizen as well. City of Charleston Parks information, locations, programs, events and many more offerings can be investigated at theCharleston City website.
Charleston County Parks are not restricted to downtown Charleston nor are they utilized only for the splashy festival events; rather they are spread throughout the county, across the islands and include diverse functions such as camping and cottages, a marina and boat landing, water parks, and feature activities like wall climbing, dog parks, museum quality nature and historical interpretive center, a team building challenge course, tennis courts, basketball courts and equestrian pursuits. Insuring that everyone in the Lowcountry area need only ask to locate a nearby park or program or both to enjoy the facilities or events. Mixers and music, fishing and swimming, canoes and kayaks, biking and running, crafts and games, African and Latin American events, summer night concerts with shag music, bluegrass and reggae, scouting and all kinds of community events are happening all around the area. Information on Charleston County Parks, programs, events, locations and many more offerings can be found by searching CCPRC.
Each playground in Charleston is open to the public from approximately dawn until dusk but individual sites set their own hours according to staffing and programs. Some playgrounds are equipped with only outdoor facilities while other offer classes and indoor programs either on-site or in conjunction with schools, parks or athletic fields.
Programs offered by individual playgrounds vary in range from open recreation and standard daily arts and crafts, sports and games as well as homework help after school to age appropriate Karate classes from kids to adults and even senior activities including knitting, crocheting and sweet grass basket making.
Perhaps one of the most comprehensive Charleston playground offerings is the Hazel Parker Playground and Community Center on East Bay Street. The outside of this facility includes "a newly refurbished playground" with several play area, dog run, basketball court, tennis court, and lots of green space for children to run and play. Fee based programs for wee ones at the Hazel Parker include Smart Start Playtime and Tumbling. Other fee-based programs include ballet, music, painting, fishing, cooking, Spanish and more. Summer camps are also available at the Hazel Parker facilities as well as a selection of adult programs and classes for example, Pilates, or ballroom and swing dancing.
Other park networks such as St. Andrew's Playgrounds offers full scale sports and recreation programs, instructional camps in wide ranging areas of interests from character building and academics to career interests, as well as individual sports such as swimming and tennis and team sports such as softball, basketball and soccer. For more information of offerings by St. Andrew's Playgrounds .
Although the First Baptist Church operates Saint Andrew's Playgrounds, most of the playgrounds in Charleston are operated by the Recreation Department and information such as location by address and available programs can be found by contacting the individual playgrounds. Or for general playground information call Recreation Dept., 823 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29403. Phone # 724-7327 or go to the Charleston City website.
Corrine Jones Playground, 36 Marlow Drive
Operating Hours: March - May and September - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - February Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm and Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games, call for a complete schedule. Phone #: 724 - 7406
Deming Park Playground, 5th Ave. Maryville
Operating Hours: March - May and Septmeber - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - February Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games, call for a complete schedule. Phone #: 965 - 4183
Forest Park Playground, 780 West Oak Forest
Operating Hours: March - May and Septmeber - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - February Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games, call for a complete schedule: Phone # 769-8259.
Freddie Whaley Playground, 1810 Doscher Avenue
Operating Hours: April - May and September - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - March Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games, call for a complete schedule: Phone 744-1640
Harmon Park Playground, 201 President Street
Operating Hours: April - May and September - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - March Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games, call for a complete schedule: Phone 724 - 7399
Lenevar Playground, 205 Lenevar Drive
Operating Hours: March - May and Septmeber - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - February Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games, call for a complete schedule: Phone 556-7393
Mall Park Playground, 68 Columbus Street
Operating Hours: April - May and September - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - March Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games, call for a complete schedule: Phone 724-7408
Martin Park Playground, 155 Jackson Street
Operating Hours: March - May and Septmeber - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - February Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games, call for a complete schedule: Phone #973-7222
McMahon Park Playground, 55 Cleveland Street
Operating Hours: March - May and Septmeber - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - February Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games, call for a complete schedule: Phone #724-7405
Moultrie Park Playground, 41 Ashley Avenue
Operating Hours: April - May and September - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - March Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games, call for a complete schedule: Phone #724-7398
Buchen Martial Arts Karate Class
Starts Monday, October 5th. Ages 3-6 Karate 5:30 - 6:30pm, 7-14 Youth Karate, 6:00 - 7:00pm, ages 7 and up, parent and child, 6:00 - 7:00pm, 15 and up,
adults, 7:00 - 8:00pm. Cost: 10 weeks of classes - $120.00. Call 724-7332 for more information.
Hazel Parker Playground, 70 East Bay Street.
Offering a wide range of facilities and programs. Contact Crystal Reed, Hazel Parker Playground Coordinator by calling: 958-6485 or via e-mail at reedc@ci.charleston.sc.us.
Orleans Woods Playground,
Operating Hours: March - May and Septmeber - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - February Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games. Tuesday and Thursday, senior programs, 9am - 1pm, including sewing, crocheting, sweet grass basket making. Call for a complete schedule: Phone #720-3889.
Saint Andrews Playgrounds, 1095 Playground Road, Charleston
For operating hours go to: www.standrewsparks.com. Recreation includes (for a fee) youth sports, adult sports, tennis, swimming, camping, wellness, and picnics. Special camps include: Acting, modeling, cheerleading, nature, cooking, C.I.T., fishing, French, golf, magic, SAT training, reading and more. Call for complete information: Phone # 763-4360.
Westchester Playground, Secessionville Road
Operating Hours: March - May and Septmeber - October Monday - Friday 4pm - 7pm November - February Monday - Friday 3:30 - 6pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm
Open recreation, homework help, arts and crafts and sports and games, call for a complete schedule: Phone #762-2499.
For additional information call Recreation Dept., 823 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC 29403. Phone # 724-7327 or go to: recreation@ci.charleston.sc.us |
