By Charlotte Caldwell
SIDNEY – The Sidney Recreation Board discussed improvements at Robert O. New Park and upcoming events at a meeting on April 3.
This spring, a new roof for the shelter at Robert O. New Park will be donated and installed by D&S Construction due to leaking shingles. There will also be the construction of a new drinking fountain and accessible sidewalk at the park, which is on par with the park staff’s mission over the last few years to improve access to shelters and drinking fountains at the parks.
The 27th annual Mayfest Soccer Classic will be held on May 6 and 7 in Tawawa Park at Lodge and Landrum Soccer Fields. In the past, the event has brought in teams from Michigan, West Virginia, Kentucky, Columbus, Cincinnati and Dayton.
The college baseball showcase for college coaches and potential college baseball players – organized by Dalton Bollinger who owns Bollinger Baseball and Softball Instruction and played baseball for the University of Toledo from 2015 to 2018 – will be held on the Veteran’s Memorial Field at Custenborder Fields on June 28. The event will include a series of drills for different positions for the athletes to show their abilities to the college coaches. Once the drills have been completed, the players will be divided up and a few innings of baseball will be played for the coaches to see in-game play by the athletes.
The second annual Paddles Pedals and Pints organized by Sidney Alive will be held at Custenborder, Tawawa, and the water park on Aug. 12. Planned events for the day include a kid’s triathlon; a cycling tour from Tawawa, through the county and back to Custenborder; a kayak trip from Custenborder to Roadside Park; a beer and soda tasting in Custenborder near the Stolle Bridge; Battleship Canoe at the water park and potentially a pickleball tournament on the new courts being constructed at Custenborder.
To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the incorporation of Tawawa Park and the Tawawa Civic Association on May 24, 1948, the Shelby County Historical Society will be hosting a car show in Kaser Dell and Ferguson Circle in Tawawa Park on June 24. There are plans to provide Model-T rides across the Ross Covered Bridge through Milligan Glen at the event.
The Shelby County Animal Rescue Foundation (SCARF) will hold an event called FurTastic Friday on April 21 at the Rudy and Steenrod Dog Parks in Deam Park to show off some adoptable pets at the shelter and bring more attention to the dog parks. SCARF will also host a 5k fun run at Tawawa Park on May 20 at 8 a.m., and all funds raised will help pay for the vaccinations of every dog and cat that enters the shelter. Pre-registration for the 5k ends on April 15.
Other planned runs include the Cup of Kindness 5k on May 13, Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association’s Walk Your Socks Off event on May 20 and Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Duck and Run 5k on June 15.
The next Recreation Board meeting will be held on Monday, May 1 at 4:15 p.m. in City Hall’s council chambers.
