Parks department highlighting its facilities this month

By Ashley Luthans

July is National Parks and Recreation Month, and the city is celebrating the parks facilities of St. Joseph.

St. Joseph Parks, Recreation and Civic Facilities is planning several events throughout the month of July to bring people out to the parks facilities, including free and discounted activities at the St. Joseph REC Center, buy-one get-one entry to the Remington Nature Center, scavenger hunts and more.

The parks department oversees approximately 50 parks and related facilities.

Chuck Kempf, director of the parks department, explained how extensive the park and trail system is in St. Joseph.

“We have a lot of green space, a lot of park space, a lot of trail mileage,” Kempf said. “It’s hard to even estimate the trail mileage because of the primitive trails that have been developed throughout the system. But we estimate probably well over 50 miles of paved and unpaved trails combined.”

Aside from just parks, the department encompasses most of the city’s facilities, including the Civic Arena, the Missouri Theater and the Bode Sports Complex.

Kempf said he hopes St. Joseph residents come out and see what city facilities have to offer.

“That’s really what’s kind of fun to watch people do: to get out and enjoy the parks in a recreational and leisure way,” Kempf said. “And I think, you know, hopefully that’s a value to peoples’ lifestyles and the way that they’re able to enjoy their community and their friends and their family. You know, hopefully we’re contributing to that.”

More information about the St. Joseph Parks, Recreation and Civic Facilities can be found on its website at stjosephmo.gov/235/Parks-Recreation-Civic-Facilities.