Time to reset. The new year brings with it new opportunities to incorporate health, wellness and creativity into your world. We can help with that! Iowa City Parks and Recreation has art, nature, movement and sports activities for adults and children. Register for activities or drop in and get your workout on at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center. There is no fee to use the fitness equipment or play in the gym.
www.icgov.org/pr

On Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016 the Parks and Forestry Division launched an inventory of the City's trees. In the coming months, a team of arborists from Plan-It Geo, a geo-technical firm from Colorado, will be out in neighborhoods gathering data on the City's urban forestry, as well as mapping and cataloging the tree species. This inventory will yield information and mapping tools to help the Parks and Forestry Division better manage and maintain Iowa City's urban forest.

The project will take between six and nine months to complete. Data gathering will begin with trees in the right-of-way (between the sidewalk and the street), then move to parks, trails and government buildings. The arborists will wear reflective vests and carry mobile tablets and measuring equipment. Parks and Forestry Division staff request that the public refrain from questioning the Plan-It Geo team while they gather data so that they can complete their work as efficiently as possible.

To learn more about the tree inventory, view a video here.

If you have questions about this project, please contact Parks & Forestry Superintendent Zac Hall, at 319-356-5100.

Skating is now open at at City Park pond and Terry Trueblood Recreation Area. Please note, weather conditions can change quickly and impact safe use of outdoor skating facilities. Visit the www.icgov.org/rainoutline for status updates.

Ice skates can be rented at Fin and Feather H20. For more information and hours call 319-354-2200.

Registration for the 2017 Iowa City Farmers Market is now open!

Season vendors with a history of good attendance at the market will be given first priority and will receive their regularly assigned space from the previous season. New vendors will be placed on our waiting list and may be contacted to fill in when space allows. For more information and to register, visit www.icgov.org/farmersmarket.

Find something that fits your schedule. Custom Private Swim Lessons can be tailored to allow for the participant and instructor to coordinate a schedule that works for both. All lessons are 30 minutes in length. Participants may register for one lesson slot per session. The cost is $90. All six individual lessons are completed by the end of the session. Instructors will contact you directly approximately two weeks prior to the start of the session to coordinate your schedule. Registration is currently open online at www.icgov.org/pr or in-person at either recreation center.

Give these new Art of STEM (STEAM) activities a try. All activities in this program incorporate STEAM concepts of science, technology, engineering art and math. Activities are designed for youth ages 3 years and up. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Class are held at the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center, 220 S. Gilbert St.

Fee: $7 per person, per class

Onward and Upward
Discover the force behind moving objects. Design and construct different moving objects with various types of force. Use your new physics knowledge to create parachutes, moving cars, an art bot and more!

Sunday, January 29, 1:30 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.

Laboratory Exploratory
Test out your curiosity. Visit our lab as we observe, test, hypothesize, and chart the results of our art and science projects.

Sunday, February 26, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Splash of Color
Did you know that art and science are closely related? Art and science concepts come to play in this colorful class. Participants will created melted crayon art, experiment with light and color, and create a collaborative piece of art.

Sunday, March 26, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Mission Possible
You have been selected to participate in a top secret mission! Using different tools, you will complete various challenges individually and collaboratively while exploring the concepts of STEAM.

Sunday, April 23, 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.

Wondering about the status of a park project?  Visit our master plan page:  www.icgov.org/parksrecmasterplan.