SURPRISES AND FAMILY ACTIVIES ABOUND IN CAPE GIRARDEAU PARKS

Cape Girardeau city parks are always busy with activity. One day, you might see a multitude of different youth and adult sports, the next, a horde of picnickers, or a mass of bodies catching some sun.

Dan Muser, director of Parks and Recreation, said that city parks like Arena, Capaha, Cherokee and Dennis Scivally have been busy places.

"The weather has been real nice," said Muser, "and that always helps. We have no reason to think that park activity will not go well this summer."

Muser said that the youth and adult sports programs have a large number of participants this year.

"We have about 800 kids involved in soccer, 400 to 500 in softball and 800 in baseball.

"The men's softball league did increase in teams this summer. We now have eight divisions, while last summer we had six. The city parks department is also sponsoring a coed league."

Muser said picnicking in the parks has also been popular.

"All the picnic shelters," said Muser, "have been rented out at a greater than normal number."

Muser said in order to reserve a picnic shelter at a city park, one must go to the Parks and Recreation office in the A.C. Brase Arena Building and pay a $10 rental fee. Muser said that no telephone reservations will be accepted.

In addition to all these activities, Muser said that two more additions will be made at Arena Park before the summer ends.

"We're working right now on building two sand volleyball courts and they should be finished in a few weeks," said Muser. "We will also start a sand volleyball league this summer, but as of right now we don't know when it will start.

"We're also building a playground unit at Arena that should be done by the end of the summer."

Attendance at the two city pools Capaha and Central Municipal has been good, said Muser. Admission for both pools is $1 for adults and 50 cents for children 13 and under.

July is National Recreation and Parks Month and in recognition of that the city parks will hold a number of events.

The first of these events is the Capaha 5000 Meter Classic/Children's One Mile Run on July 13. Registration for the event will begin at 7 a.m., with the race starting at 8 a.m.

On July 14, the Jaycee Municipal Golf Course will have a mixed scramble golf tournament, starting at 10 a.m. The cost for the tournament is $30 a couple.

A free Concert in the Park will be held July 20 at the Capaha Park Band Shell, starting at 7 p.m. And a "Baby Boomer Bash" will be held July 27 at the Arena Building, starting at 8 p.m. Participants must be 21 years of age or older. Cost of the dance is $3 per person.

The parks department is also sponsoring a summer photo contest. Photos should be submitted to the parks department office in the Arena Building between July 1 and July 24. All ages can enter the contest and there is no fee to enter. Photos can be submitted between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.