PARKS
South Georgia offers an abundance of challenges to the most
avid of outdoors enthusiasts.
Community Parks and Recreation
- Over 30 parks are available throughout Lowndes, Brooks, and
Lanier Counties for your enjoyment.
The City of Valdosta formed the Parks
and Recreation Department in 1972 to serve a variety of
recreation, facility, cultural, and open space needs in the
community including athletic programs for youth and adults,
special programs for the mentally and physically disabled,
active programs for senior adults, instructional classes, special
concerts, and cemetery services. The department has grown from
its meager beginnings to a present staff of 52 full-time employees
and over 200 seasonal part-time employees.
Neighborhood parks are located within or adjacent to neighborhoods
and take on the character of the surrounding area. Sixty percent
of the residents of Valdosta live within a quarter mile of a
park. Primary access is achieved by walking or bike riding. Neighborhood
parks provide opportunities for casual play. However, they can
also accommodate special programs for a short duration. There
is a balance of active and passive recreation opportunities.
Facilities include playgrounds, multi-purpose courts/fields,
tennis courts, landscaped sitting areas, recreation buildings,
and picnic areas.
Urban open spaces and memorials are generally small landscaped
or natural sites located within developed areas. Primary functions
include buffering, stormwater retention, wildlife habitat, or
visual relief. Examples of urban open spaces include pocket-parks,
landscaped medians, parkways, traffic circles and cemeteries.
Facilities at these sites may include trails, walks, benches,
gardens, or memorials.
Access to community parks can be by walking, biking, but more
often occurs by car. They are usually located near major collector
streets or arterial roads and serve the needs of several neighborhoods.
They are typically more intensely developed than neighborhood
parks and tend to be more actively-oriented. Facilities may include
athletic fields, swimming pools, multi-purpose fields, and recreation
centers. Natural areas are incorporated to provide biking, fitness,
picnicking, and open space activities.
The number of park users has also shown a significant increase
during the past decade. As the population of Valdosta and Lowndes
grows, so does the need for more programs in both number and
diversity. The goal of Valdosta*Lowndes Recreation, Parks and
Community Affairs Department is to meet the leisure needs of
our customers.
The J.E. Mathis Municipal Auditorium, operated by the Valdosta*Lowndes
Recreation, Parks and Community Affairs Department, is the site
of local plays, choral presentations, and public meetings, as
well as traveling events such as the Atlanta Symphony and popular
concerts. Mathis Auditorium is a facility of approximately 30,
000 square feet; the auditorium seats 1,206 and the 5,000 square
foot multi-purpose room has a full commercial kitchen.
The Metro Community Senior Citizens Program features
a 12,000 square-foot Senior Citizens Center. The program offers a range of
leisure activities, from arts & crafts, bridge clubs and bingo, to more
athletic programs such as aerobics, bowling, line dancing, Tai Chi classes,
a Travel Club and the Golden Olympics. Seasonal holiday events are coordinated
throughout the year and include dinners, dances, friendship lunches and a variety
of social events.
Wild Adventures Theme Park
Quitman-Brooks County
Enjoy entertainment at the Gazebo on the courthouse lawn in Downtown
Quitman or the new Veteran's park featuring a walking track,
covered pavilion, picnic tables, grills, tennis courts and more.
