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City of Ames

Parks & Recreation

Click on cover to view or download our Spring Summer brochure
(This is a large file and will take a few minutes to download)

Community Center
515 Clark
515-239-5350 

Fall/Winter/Spring

M-F  5 am - 10 pm
Sat 8 am - 6 pm
Sun Noon - 8 pm

* * * * *

Summer Hours

M-F  5 am - 9 pm
Sat 8 am - 2 pm
Sun 2 pm - 8 pm

Parks & Recreation
HOTLINE:
515-239-5434

 

 

Parks & Recreation

Ames Park System

Park Hours  are 6AM-10:30PM

Ames Park System

Ames boasts 36 parks and a full compliment of recreational facilities.  Charles and June Calhoun park is our newest park.  It features a small shelter, paved parking lot and access to the south side of Ada Hayden Heritage Park.  The City Council, Parks & Recreation Commission, and City staff invites you to enjoy our City's beautiful park system.
 

2010 Vending Information
Letter to Potential Vendors
Vending Policies
Park Vendor Application

Ada Hayden Heritage Park: 5205 Grand Avenue, includes hiking trails, boat ramp, parking lots, restroom, and hundreds of acres of prairie and wetlands that serve to naturally filter water prior to it running into the lake. This filtering is critical because the 130 acre lake, which totals 1.2 billion gallons of water, serves the community as a secondary water source during drought conditions. Brookside Park: 1325 6th Street; acres of timberland adjacent Squaw Creek, wading pool, lighted baseball diamond, 3 picnic shelters, 1 sand volleyball court, Audubon Trail, play equipment, basketball court, 9 horseshoe courts, and 4 lighted tennis courts. 82 acres.
Emma McCarthy Lee Park: 3400 Ross Road; two play equipment areas, 4 lighted tennis courts, 1 sand volleyball court, basketball court and 2 shelters. 38 acres. Inis Grove Park: 24th and Duff; includes a basketball court, tennis practice board and 4 lighted courts, 1 sand volleyball court, 3 picnic shelters, nature trails, and play equipment. 42 acres.
Moore Memorial Park: 3050 Northridge Parkway; 2 shelters, observation tower, 1.3 acre lake, 1.5 mile hard-surfaced walkway, handicapped accessible restrooms, play equipment, prairie restoration. 50 acres. River Valley Park North River Valley, 725 E. 13th Street; includes ball fields, 2 picnic shelters, 1 sand volleyball court, and play equipment. Park in Carr Pool parking lot, cross the bridge into East River Valley Park and hike the 2.5 miles of nature trails. 60 acres. South River Valley Park: 1200 East 13th Street; includes play equipment and 2 lighted softball diamonds. 17 acres.
Click here for a complete listing of Ames community parks, neighborhood parks, specialized parks and woodlands.
Click here for a map to all  Ames community parks, neighborhood parks, specialized parks and woodlands.
Shelters are available in Brookside, River Valley, Inis Grove, Moore Memorial, Emma McCarthy Lee and Daley Parks. Fee: $12/Hr with a two hour minimum.  For more detailed information pertaining to park shelters, click here.  Shelters may be reserved any time of the year.  
Click here for Park Policies  
Click here for information on Ball Diamond, Tennis and Sand Volleyball Court reservations
Park Watch We need your help!  Vandalism in your park system is a serious, unnecessary, and costly problem.  Each year the City spends thousands of tax dollars to remove graffiti and repair damage done by vandals.  We would much rather use your funding to enhance and beautify the parks!  If you see anyone acting suspicious, damaging property, driving on the grass or defacing playground equipment, PLEASE call the Ames Police Department at 239-5133 and report what you see.   That's it!  The Police Department will take it from that point on. Thanks for your help in keeping the park system safe and beautiful. Christmas Tree Recycling:  Don't be a Grinch by letting your Christmas Tree go to the landfill where it can take as long as 30 years to fully decompose.  Let the Parks & Recreation Department recycle your tree and put the remains to good use as mulch in the park system.  Every year 35 million Christmas trees are sold in the U.S.  The tree is brought into the house, decorated, enjoyed and thrown away.  This year, recycle the tree by chipping it and complete the tree's life cycle.  Drop off your tree at the Ames Parks & Recreation Maintenance Building.

Mosquito Fogging in Parks for 2010

Parks are sprayed between the hours of 8 PM and 10 PM

Mondays -- Moore Memorial Park, McCarthy Lee Park
Tuesdays -- Homewood Golf Course, Inis Grove Park & Brookside Park
Wednesdays -- River Valley Park & Softball Complexes, Bandshell Park & Country Gables Park
Fridays -- River Valley Park & Softball Complexes

In case of rain, fogging will occur on Friday mornings between 6AM-8AM or 8PM-10PM. 

Other Park Links
Carroll Marty Disc Golf Course Ames Skate Park
Ames Commemorative Tree Program Link to America's Running Routes for Trails in Ames
Cross Country Skiing in River Valley Park Cross Country Ski Trails Map
Bike and Recreational Trails Map
Ann Munn Heritage Woods (Background Information)  Ann Munn (picture)