As the snow melts and temperatures climb into the 50s, Eastern students have the option to go to Charleston’s several parks for warmer weather activities.

Anna King, a senior special education major, stood in the basketball court at Sister City Park, watching her English Bulldog, Zeppelin, divide his time between riding his skateboard and chewing on it Wednesday afternoon.

Sister City Park, located on Route 130, south of Lincoln Avenue, is 16 acres and includes a large pavilion, a basketball court, sand volleyball courts, a baseball/softball diamond, a soccer field and a roller-hockey rink.

Russ Mazur, a senior environmental biology major, and his friends played a pickup game of roller hockey on Sister City Park’s rink.

Brian Jones, the director of the Charleston Parks and Recreation Department, said he occasionally sees Eastern students playing pickup games of roller hockey at Sister City Park and baseball and softball at Morton Park.

Morton Park, 1215 Division St., is the closest park to campus. Charleston Parks and Recreation Department runs programs at the park, while the Charleston Township Park District operates.

Jones said Eastern students probably go to Morton Park because several students live at rental properties nearby.

Jones said students are more likely to use the student recreation center for intramurals, but they are welcome to sign up for city-run programs at the parks.

“They pay student activity fees for the student recreation center,” Jones said. “I don’t blame them. I wouldn’t pay additionally for city programs.”

King said the warm weather gives her an opportunity to finally get out of her apartment.

“I go to the parks all the time with my friends to picnic, play Frisbee and let my dog run around,” King said. “Going to the park gets me away from campus and lets me do my own thing.”

Mazur said he and his friends play roller hockey at the park at least twice a week when the weather is nice.

“If we wanted to play on an ice rink, we would have to drive 45 minutes to Danville or Champaign,” Mazur said.

Jones said Lake Charleston is another popular place among students.

King said she plans on bringing her dog to Lake Charleston, but she is hesitant about letting him go into the water.

“If I had a Labrador I would let it swim in the lake,” King said. “Zeppelin, on the other hand, might go under.”

Other parks in Charleston include Heritage Woods Park, Kiwanis Park, Lafferty Nature Study Area, North Park, Reasor Park, VFW Way Park, Woods Park and Woodyard Conservation Area.

Nick Livers can be reached 581-2812 or nllivers@eiu.edu

Ashton Robison, 6, of Charleston, laughs as he swings on the swing set in Morton Park on Thursday. (Jordan Boner

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