Harrison Parks and Recreation Director Chuck Eddington was invited to speak to the Lions Club on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
After a standing ovation, Eddington laughed and thanked the group for their warm welcome. He was excited to talk about Harrison and the Parks and Rec program.
Someone asked him how long he had been with the city, and he said his 10-year anniversary with Parks is this month. “I appreciate John Phillips getting me started in this career. I had been coaching for 15 years and was very excited to work with him. John worked for the city for 26 years. I have always said, even though John was not a tall man, he had big shoes to fill.”
The Creekside Community Center now has 2,825 members, and he invited anyone who hadn’t seen it yet to tour it.
The Parks Department is providing about 70 jobs to individuals right now. “We have 16 full-time and a lot of part-time between everything we do. From March to the year-end of the year, we will probably get up to 90 jobs. I have a great staff that I’m very proud of. Some have been with Parks for more than 20 years. They are also enjoying seeing the progress the department has made.”
Eddington spoke fondly about Parks's partnerships with area schools and businesses. “We are continuing to grow what we do and improve the quality of life for everyone. People are talking to me about adding archery, wrestling, and other events we can host. We are all about quality of life and helping our region’s activities grow.”
He mentioned the City and CATPC partnership to build a stage on the former football field to host concerts at Creekside. “We can hold 6,000 lawn chairs on the field and still have space for bleachers. Even if we only have 1,000 or 2,000 people, this could be a great opportunity for our community. We hope to have three major concerts for 2025.”
The permanent outdoor pickleball court was also mentioned, as the partnership with Rotary to build four new outdoor courts. “Hopefully, they will be ready by May,” he said.
Also, the outdoor patio will be furnished just off the aquatics facility in time for warmer weather. “We are having many people take advantage of pool parties and the party rooms right now. There’s even a staging room for food and presents.”
The indoor aquatics area is hosting several water aerobics and swimming lessons classes. Chair aerobics has started, too.
He also mentioned the family restroom in the aquatics area with a special table that will hold up to 450 pounds for families with special needs individuals to change clothes for swimming.
“The E-Sports room is also a big hit,” he said. “We have a total of 39 stations where people can use PCs and gaming consoles. We are looking into hosting some events in this area, too.”
“The game room has corn hole, shuffleboard, air hockey, ping pong tables, pool, foosball, TVs, and couches.”
”We have three gyms, and when we host tournaments, all three and the Youth Center will be used. But during league play, we will try to keep one court open for members and day pass users. This past weekend, we had league play from area schools and teams, and everything went very well. The kids' indoor playground probably had 100 kids playing while older siblings participated in the basketball games.”
”There really is something for everyone at this Community Center. The walking track is always open, even when we have leagues playing. We accept Silver Sneakers and Renew Active programs for seniors. We also offer discounts for low-income families, the disabled, and veterans. It’s very affordable.”
”I’ve got to give kudos to the Mayor. His idea of a golf simulator has been perfect. Many young people are getting the chance to learn about golf, but they might not be able to play otherwise. Just schedule your golf time online, and it’s free with your Creekside membership.”
“We couldn’t have done all we’ve done with Creekside Community and Aquatics Center without the support of the public through the bond issue. Please come and take a tour and see what is there for you to enjoy.”
Creekside hours are 6 a.m. until 8 p.m., Monday through Friday. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Creekside is open from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. Visit HarrisonParks.com for more information or call 870-741-2346.
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