Get in summer shape fast with an Aqua Fitness pass
By Hallie Hutchins, Parks & Recreation Marketing Assistant
Summer is almost here, and whether you like to head to the pool or beach, it’s time to suit up. What better way to get in shape and feel great in your swimsuit than to work out in it?
Take a break from the gym and dive into the City of College Station’s Aqua Fitness classes to build cardio, strength, and resistance in a cool and relaxing atmosphere. It’s easy on the joints while providing a tremendous workout, regardless of your fitness level.
The Parks & Recreation Department offers a variety of aqua fitness classes for ages 15 and up at Cindy Hallaran Pool, a 25-yard, zero-depth swimming pool with a beach entry that gently slopes to a depth of four feet. Classes begin Tuesday and run through Aug. 16.
Eager to try one of our aqua fitness classes but not sure where to begin?
It all starts with getting an Aqua Fitness pass, which is good for water fitness, aqua barre, and aqua boot camp. You can sample a drop-in pass for $3 a class and once you’re hooked, buy an unlimited pass for $100.
Passes can be purchased at the Cindy Hallaran Pool or online at rectrac.cstx.gov.
Aqua Fitness Classes
Water Fitness, Weekdays, 9-10 a.m.
These classes provide an enjoyable and effective exercise that increases cardiopulmonary capacity, strength, and flexibility. Physically fit, pre-natal, post-natal, post-operative, those with arthritis, those with muscle injuries, or sedentary individuals are invited to join.
Aqua Barre, Tuesdays, 7:30-8:30 a.m.
The hottest trend in group exercise goes aquatic with a moderate-intensity workout that uses the buoyancy and resistance of water to enhance exercises designed to build strength, promote cardiovascular fitness, and increase flexibility. Participants use noodles and the pool wall in place of the traditional ballet barre.
Aqua Bootcamp, Thursdays, 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Take your fitness to the next level with a vigorous workout that brings intensity without the impact with a combination of high-intensity interval training, steady-state cardio, and resistance exercises.
Get your Aqua Fitness pass today and get in summer shape!
About the Blogger
Hallie Hutchins is in her fourth year as a marketing staff assistant in the Parks & Recreation Department after graduating from Texas A&M in 2014 with a degree in sports management. She has previously worked with the Dallas Sidekicks professional soccer team and Texas Team Junior Golf. Originally from White Oak, Hallie also attended Kilgore College and was a member of the famed Kilgore Rangerettes dance team.
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Weekend of Remembrance honors our fallen heroes
By Gabriela Salazar, Tourism Events Supervisor
The custom of honoring lost loved ones by cleaning cemeteries and decorating graves is an ancient and worldwide tradition. This weekend’s Texas Weekend of Remembrance pays tribute to the men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.
Free commemorative events are scheduled from Friday through Sunday at Veterans Park and Athletic Complex. We invite military members, veterans, their families, and everyone who wants to honor our fallen heroes and celebrate the freedoms granted by their sacrifice.
As part of the Memorial Day weekend, the Texas Weekend of Remembrance not only presents impactful speakers and celebratory music — it reminds us about the everlasting cost of our freedom.
Pets and outside food and drinks aren’t allowed, but you may bring plastic water bottles and lawn chairs, and concessions will be available for purchase.
Highlights include:
- A roll call of the total count those who gave their lives in America’s major conflicts.
- Gold Star mother MaryKay Edwards will share the story of her son, William “Billy” Lawrence Edwards, who was killed in Iraq in 2007.
- A rifle salute by the Ross Volunteers and taps played by the Texas Aggie Band bugler.
- Musical performances by Shane Smith & The Saints and former Iraq combat veteran Scott Brown (USMC) in the Scooter Brown Band.
- A free breakfast and non-denominational Sunday service led by U.S. Coast Guard Chaplain Benjamin Mayhugh.
- Adult softball and youth 7v7 football tournaments.
- A 5K run/walk and 1-mile kids‘ run benefitting Brazos Valley Cares, which supports veterans having financial hardships.
- Photo opportunities with military vehicles from the Museum of the American GI and Conroe’s Army Reserve Aviation Base.
For more information, visit cstx.gov/TWR or call 979-764-3486.
About the Blogger
Tourism Events Supervisor Gabby Salazar is in her fourth year with the City of College Station. Before joining the city, she was the night manager at Texas A&M’s Reed Arena. A product of A&M’s sports management program, Gabby earned her bachelor’s degree in 2014 and is working toward her master’s. A native of Alamo, she was also a member of the Aggies’ nationally-ranked track and cross country teams.
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Get ready for summer at Water Safety Day on May 19
By Bridget Russell, Aquatics Supervisor
May’s longer, warmer days are perfect for cooling off in the pool, but as National Water Safety Month, May is also the ideal time to review the precautions you should take in and around the water.
The City of College Station is offering a free Water Safety Day from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Sunday, May 19 at Adamson Lagoon. Family-friendly activities will emphasize water safety and the causes and prevention of drowning. We’ll also provide brief swim lessons, lifeguarding demonstrations, and CPR training. Participants will be admitted free to the pool after the program.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is the fifth-leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States. Here are four simple ways to be safer in the water:
1. Learn to swim
Formal lessons significantly reduce drowning risks among young children. We offer swim lessons to all ages throughout June and July.
2. Supervise kids
Designate a responsible adult to watch young children playing in or around water.
3. Learn CPR
CPR performed by bystanders saves lives and improves outcomes in drowning situations.
4. Wear life jackets
Half of all boating deaths can be prevented if passengers use life jackets.
The City of College Station’s Aquatics Department is devoted to teaching people to swim correctly, safely, and confidently. For more information visit cstx.gov/swim or call 979-764-3540.
About the Blogger
Bridget Russell has been with the City of College Station since 2012 and has served as aquatics supervisor since 2017. She was a lifeguard at Texas A&M for almost three years after serving as an administrative clerk for the U.S. Marine Corps from 2005-11. Bridget earned bachelor’s (2011) and master’s (2012) degrees in sport management from Texas A&M.
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Be a WILD educator and teach kids the joys of nature
By Hallie Hutchins, Parks & Recreation Marketing Assistant
Remember what it was like to play outside as a kid? Running barefoot and feeling the blades of grass between your toes, picking a sweet-smelling wildflower bouquet, digging in the dirt and finding rolly pollies or worms as it sifted through your hands, or molding the soil into dirt cakes and mud castles.
To kids, playing outside is just fun and games, but adults know those activities teach important lessons. Kids discover nature by using their senses, seeing and hearing what’s happening around them, touching what they can reach, and smelling the fresh scents of nature as they run, jump, dig and climb. Despite being raised in today’s entertainment-driven world dominated by electronic devices, children are still natural explorers who benefit from discovering the outdoors.
Texas Parks and Wildlife has created a program called Project WILD and Growing Up Wild that encourages youngsters to explore nature through critical thinking about topics such as wildlife, diversity, and habitats. Students learn ecological, social and political awareness while developing their innate sense of wonder through arts and crafts, music, reading, math, and conservation.
Be a WILD educator
The College Station Parks and Recreation Department invites early childhood educators to learn how to share the fascinating world of wildlife and ecosystems with their students through the WILD program’s instructor certification course from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, May 11 at the Lick Creek Nature Center.
Participants must be at least 16 years old. Onsite registration is available that day (credit card only), or you can register online before the event online at rectrac.cstx.gov. The cost of the course is $50 per person (again, credit card only).
The program’s mission is to have educators help students learn how to think about wildlife, the environment, and conservation. Sound educational practices and theory back the curriculum, which represents the work of experts in the fields of education and natural resource management.
More than one million educators have participated in Project WILD workshops and have gone on to instruct more than 48 million youths.
You can be one of those educators!
For more information visit cstx.gov/lickcreek or call us at 979-764-6216.
About the Blogger
Hallie Hutchins is in her fourth year as a marketing staff assistant in the Parks & Recreation Department after graduating from Texas A&M in 2014 with a degree in sports management. She has previously worked with the Dallas Sidekicks professional soccer team and Texas Team Junior Golf. Originally from White Oak, Hallie also attended Kilgore College and was a member of the famed Kilgore Rangerettes dance team.
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Meyer Senior and Community Center opens in June
By Kelly Kelbly, Assistant Parks & Recreation Director
The Bob & Wanda Meyer Senior and Community Center is within a few weeks of opening!
Work on the floors is still being performed, along with other punch list items, which will clear the way for this senior-focused center to be ready for additional technology installation and new furniture.
Doors will open and programming will begin Monday, June 3, at 8 a.m.
The rescheduled grand opening ceremony will be Wednesday, June 5, at 10 a.m.
If you already have your copy of the College Station Parks & Recreation Summer Guide, then you will see different dates listed. The online version of the guide has the correct grand opening information, along with all the programs that will be offered at the Meyer Senior and Community Center.
For those who may be unaware, the Bob & Wanda Meyer Senior and Community Center is the reimagined, renovated facility formerly occupied by Arts Council of Brazos Valley at 2275 Dartmouth St.
The center will offer three multipurpose rooms, a room for arts and crafts, WiFi, and plenty of space for dances, classes, a wide variety of activities, or just visiting with friends and family.
The center and its senior programming are made possible through generous contributions from the estate of Bob and Wanda Meyer, and is the fulfillment of Bob’s dream for College Station to have a facility that met the social needs of its older citizens.
Learn more at cstx.gov/MeyerCenter or in our Parks & Recreation Summer Guide.
About the Blogger
Assistant Director Kelly Kelbly is in her 18th year with the College Station Parks & Recreation Department. A native of Gilmer, Kelly is a 1998 graduate of Texas A&M.
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Popular Starlight music series begins Saturday, May 4
By Hallie Hutchins, Parks & Recreation Marketing Assistant
They say the best things in life are free, and I would have to agree.
After all, one of the best things in College Station each spring is the Starlight Music Series. It’s free, and it begins Saturday, May 4 at the Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater.
For nearly two decades, these entertaining concerts have been a favored tradition in our community. Starlight hits the right notes again this season with rock and roll favorites, rising country artists and a little zydeco to get you up and grooving.
Here’s the lineup:
May 4
Kimberly Dunn with guests Judson Cole Band and Ben Kadlecek
Country music artist Kimberly Dunn’s music is intimate and explosive. The San Antonio Aggie’s show has been described as Dolly Parton fronting the Foo Fighters, an irresistible mix that you can bet will be memorable. Her latest album “New Smoke Show” and new single “Sugar Rush” were produced by Grammy Award-winning engineer Chad Carlson.
May 18
Hotel California
Traveling from Canada, Hotel California is North America’s best tribute to The Eagles. They look and sound like The Eagles and are the next best thing to The Eagles. Covering all the favorites from “Take it Easy,” to “Life in the Fast Lane,” and “Hotel California.”
June 1
Infinite Journey with guest Cold as Ice
Infinite Journey is an international Journey tribute band based in Dallas that has been performing in high-energy shows across the country since 2012. The five-piece band delivers a musically immersive Journey experience, focusing on the overall sound, solos, and soaring vocals that make Journey iconic.
June 8
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers with guests Mi’chel Rose and Zydeco Players
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers were nominated for a 2018 Grammy for Best Regional Roots Music Album. They pump out incredible Zydeco music and are incredible showmen. Their interaction with the crowd and the rhythm and blues in their music make it a performance not to miss.
Load up your coolers, blankets and lawn chairs for another packed schedule of open-air tunes at the Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater. Here are the details:
- Gates for all shows open at 6 p.m., with the concerts starting at 7.
- Free parking is available at Post Oak Mall with handicap parking off Colgate Drive.
- Coolers and containers must be 48 quarts or smaller.
- Pets, kegs, and glass aren’t allowed.
- Kid Zone with inflatable activities will be available.
- Chairs are welcome but may not occupy blanket-only seating.
- Smoking isn’t allowed in the main seating area, but we provide designated smoking areas.
- Concessions are available for purchase.
Special thanks to our sponsors: Backstage Sound & Lightening, Brazos Valley Bombers, AT&T, Candy 95.1, Maverick 100.9, Willy 97.7, and WTAW Newstalk 1620.
For more information visit cstx.gov/starlight, call 979-764-3486, email parks@cstx.gov, or visit the Stephen C. Beachy Central Park Office at 1000 Krenek Tap Road.
About the Blogger
Hallie Hutchins is in her fourth year as a marketing staff assistant in the Parks & Recreation Department after graduating from Texas A&M in 2014 with a degree in sports management. She has previously worked with the Dallas Sidekicks professional soccer team and Texas Team Junior Golf. Originally from White Oak, Hallie also attended Kilgore College and was a member of the famed Kilgore Rangerettes dance team.
If you found value in this blog post, please share it with your social network and friends!
