FY2022

Social/Arts/STEAM/Environmental Activities Social, arts, STEAM and environmental programs are provided throughout the year and are available for all ages. Most arts programs are offered in 4 or 6-week sessions or in a workshop format. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) programming is offered through classes, workshops, and maker space events. The potter’s studio and the Arts & Crafts room are available year-round. Special events, workshops, clinics, and community education includes Environmental Education, trips, music performances, holiday events and no-school day activities. Outreach into the neighborhoods continues to grow with programs such as Walk the Creek, Parties in the Park, Playgrounds, Pop-Up Park Events, gardening/sustainability education and outdoor recreation programs such as fishing and geocaching. Summer camp offers nine weeks of swimming, crafts, roller skating, field trips, sports, and elective camps. This indoor/outdoor camp consists of nine one-week sessions for children completing grades K-6. The free drop-in playground program provides supervised activities in several Iowa City park sites. This eight-week summer program is designed for children completing grades K-6 and feature sports, nature awareness, games, and craft activities. Aquatics Aquatics programming offers a wide variety of swimming options for the community including swim lessons, lap swimming, aqua fitness and an introduction to swim team competition. The department maintains three facilities: City Park Pool, the Robert A. Lee Recreation Center Pool and Mercer Park Aquatic Center. The pedestrian mall’s Weatherdance Fountain and three splash pads at Wetherby, Fairmeadows and Tower Court are also available for the public. The swim lesson program’s main goal is to provide quality, affordable and accessible swim lessons to all citizens of Iowa City. Swim lessons are available for all skill levels and abilities; ranging from parent/ toddler cooperative classes to adult swim lesson options. The department strives to provide a portfolio of courses that are viable and accessible to all of Iowa City. The Robert A. Lee Recreation Center Pool is the main facility used for youth swim lessons. A traditional L-shaped pool with a 12-foot-deep end and 3-foot shallow end features 6 lap lanes allowing for a diverse set of offerings. Mercer Park Aquatic Center is divided into three sections separated by two moveable bulkheads. The separation provides three programming areas; shallow for water walking, high paced workouts, and private lessons, a middle section designated for lap swim, and the deep end for swim teams and competitive use. Mercer Park also includes a hot tub and a small outdoor wading pool. Underserved Populations Underserved Populations programs provide recreation experiences throughout the year for persons with special needs or population groups who have been historically underserved. Principal goals for the programs are to enhance independent leisure skills and lifestyles of persons with disabilities in addition to addressing barriers to access of recreational activities.

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