Pedal, Splash, Trot - Where to Keep Your Cool While Enjoying our Beautiful Parks

The Dog Days of Summer have left us panting in this heat, with fewer public options to really cool off. Parks are open but playgrounds and spraygrounds are closed; boat ramps at Ramsey Creek, Blythe Landing, and Copperhead Island allow us to hit the lakes if we have a boat, but Ramsey Creek beachfront on Lake Norman is not an option if we don’t. Ray’s Splash Planet, Marion Diehl, and Cordelia Park pools are also off our summer can-do list. So where can we go?

Good news! You still have options if you want to take a dip — but you might have to plan ahead. Double Oaks Family Aquatic Center is open on both weekend days, and Tuesdays and Thursdays during the week. Sixty guests at a time are allowed to enjoy the pool and water park for an hour and a half, at which time the pool closes for 30 minutes so the deck can be cleaned. There are 4 blocks a day starting at 11pm, 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm. Admission is $1, but in the interest of safety, you’ll need to bring your own chairs. Book your session here: https://www.mecknc.gov/ParkandRec/Aquatics/Pages/Outdoor%20Pools%20-%20Seasonal.aspx

 

The Mecklenburg County Aquatic Center is also open during the week, Monday – Friday, with restrictions. The main tank will allow 1 swimmer per lap lane, with a one-hour limit, and several lanes can be reserved up to a week in advance. All other lap lanes are open on a first-come, first-served basis. The warm pool can accommodate 18 patrons outside a designated program lane, and will have special hours each day for patrons 55+. Just be warned: Locker rooms and weight rooms are closed, there is no towel service, and you have to bring your own swim equipment. Admission is $5 for members. Learn more here: https://www.mecknc.gov/ParkandRec/Aquatics/Pages/Aquatic%20Center%20Information.aspx July 30 update: The Aquatic Center is closed until August 17th, please check the site for reopening updates.

If you’d rather stay dry, there are some great trails you can try in Mecklenburg County Parks and along our greenways. Probably the most popular are the Lower McAlpine, McMullen, and Four Mile Creek greenways. The interconnected greenways stretch nearly 6 miles under a shady tree canopy from Pineville-Matthews Road to Rea Road, crossing under I-485 and Johnston Road along the way. In fact, most Mecklenburg County greenways pass through a few shaded areas if you want to hop on your bike to explore! Find your closest greenway here: https://www.mecknc.gov/ParkandRec/Greenways/Pages/default.aspx

 

Neighborhood and regional parks like Ribbon Walk, Nevin Park, Reedy Creek, McDowell, and Davie Park offer wooded trails that keep you cool, and are a good place to walk your pooch on a leash. At Davie Park, Partners for Parks subdivided the five-acre off-leash area to allow big dogs and little dogs separate space to roam, and added watering stations for each. Talk about Dog Days of Summer! You can look up more trails in this article – https://partnersforparks.org/walk-better-health/ – with added incentive to give them a try.

The most important part, though, is to get out and get moving in our beautiful parks! Pack your towel, lace up your shoes, grab a leash for Fido — and don’t forget your water bottle. Stay cool!