Recreational opportunities
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Recreational opportunities are plentiful in Ottawa and surrounding cities and counties.
- The Ottawa Recreation Commission offers programs for youth and adults.
- There are several golf courses in a 30-mile radius of Ottawa.
- Fishing, camping and hunting opportunities abound at area lakes.
- The Prairie Spirit Rail-Trail for bicycle enthusiasts runs through Ottawa and extends more than 30 miles south to Welda in Anderson County.
- Ottawa also has a skateboard park and four parks.
- For those wanting to be fans, there are several venues. There are five high schools in Franklin County that offer a variety of sporting events. Ottawa University, 1001 S. Cedar St., competes in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.
- Ottawa's city pool is in Forest Park.
Ottawa Recreation Commission
The ORC offers youth sports: basketball, volleyball, soccer, flag football, tennis, baseball and softball.
There are instructional sports: little hoopsters, little kickers, little sluggers instructional T-ball, preschool kickball.
The ORC sponsors special events such as father-daughter date night, mom and son's night of fun, sporting equipment trade days.
The ORC has community services and educational training: adult CPR, infant and child CPR, community first aid and safety, lifeguard training.
The ORC in conjunction with the Ottawa Babe Ruth sponsors summer Babe Ruth Leagues for ages 11 to 19. Participants are subject to the rules and regulations of the ORC as well as the National Babe Ruth. Boys must be residents of the Ottawa school district to participate. There will be no exceptions.
Registrations begin in February for the following summer season.
Youth baseball: ages 5-6, T-ball; 7-8, coach pitch; 9-10 midget.
Youth softball: ages 5-6, T-ball; 7-8 coach pitch; 9-10 minor; 11-12, intermediate, 13-14 major.
The baseball and softball diamonds are located at the Orlis Cox Complex and Forest Park. During the summer months, the ORC offers several youth and adult softball and baseball tournaments.
The ORC provides youth activities such as the after school program and summer playground.
The ORC has swimming lessons throughout the summer for all ages and abilities.
Adult leagues are also plentiful. The ORC offers adult softball, volleyball and basketball throughout the year.
For information on any ORC activity, call the ORC office at 242-1939.
Pomona Lake
This lake is located in Osage County.
The park is open seven days a week year-round. The 490-acre state park is operated by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks for a wide range of outdoor activities. Most facilities are open between April 15 and Oct. 15.
A state park vehicle permit is required for every motorized vehicle entering the park. Pets must be on a leash and fires are allowed in the fire rings and grills.
Pomona Lake offers some of the best crappie and catfish fishing in the state. State record catfish and wiper have been caught from the lake in recent years.
Four boat ramps are available for boaters, skiers and fishers.
Lighthouse Bay Marina provides full services to boaters, anglers, skiers and campers.
The park has 156 utility campsites, all having electricity and water. Camping is limited to 14 days in one campground.
The wildlife area is open to hunters during appropriate seasons.
Prairie Spirit Rail-Trail
The rail-trail runs more than 30 miles from Ottawa to Welda. It is open to walkers, runners, bicyclists and outdoor enthusiasts. It is operated by the state wildlife and parks department.
It is free to use inside the city limits of Garnett and Ottawa. There are self-pay daily permits available at the trailheads in Ottawa, Princeton, Richmond, Garnett and Welda. Annual permits are available at the Garnett Area Chamber of Commerce, 419 S. Oak St.; City of Garnett, 131 W. Fifth Ave.; Country Mart, 2138 S. Princeton Circle Drive, Ottawa; the Franklin County Clerk's office, in the courthouse on Main Street between Third and Fourth Streets and Village Inn motel, on Old Business 50 at I-35.
Golf
Local courses include the Ottawa Country Club on East Logan Street in Ottawa and Hickory Hollow, 3062 Georgia Road, Pomona.
The OCC is for member and guest play. Tuesday is Ladies Day and Thursday is Men's Day. There are several fund-raising golf tournaments at the OCC each year.
Hickory Hollow, a public course, offers a men's scramble on Wednesday nights, a senior scramble on Monday mornings and several other events throughout the year.
American Legion Baseball
Ottawa's baseball program is open for players ages 16 to 19. The games are played in June and July with a state tournament in August.
Parks
Ottawa has several parks to enjoy.
City Park, at Fifth and Main streets, has playground equipment along with a band shell.
Forest Park, Locust and Tecumseh streets, is the largest of the parks. The park consists of playground equipment, a swimming pool, picnic areas, horseshoe pits, tennis courts and softball fields.
Kanza Park, 15th Street, has a one-mile walking trail.
Heritage Park is the newest Ottawa Park at 815 E. Powhattan.
Swimming
The Forest Park pool opens Memorial Day and closes the weekend before school begins.
Swim for Life Aquatics Center, 911 E. Wilson St., has memberships available with swimming lessons year-round.
The Ottawa swim team competes year-round in various meets. It is open to children of all ages. To join, call Jeff Brewer, 242-8058.
Football
The Franklin County Storm youth football program is for players in third through seventh grade. For more information, call Justin Whalen, 242-8402.
Wrestling
The Ottawa Mat Masters program runs December through March. The youth wrestlers compete in tournaments on weekends. For more information, call Rick Croucher at 242-1692.
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