Page 25 - 2018 Someplace Special

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features a picturesque walking path around the Mill Pond, gazebo, playground, and
Austin. Spend a warm summer day with your family, enjoying any one
ecreational opportunities abound in and around the City of Horace Austin Park is the center of family fun during summer months. The area
of our nearly 30 community parks. Take a walk or ride a bike along miles of paved an aquatic center. The aquatic center has a 50-meter pool, 2 slides, a 16’ climbing
trails. Or simply relax alongside the water’s edge beside the Cedar River, East Side wall and boards in a separate diving well, and a huge kiddie area with a splash pad.
Lake or the Mill Pond.
Winter brings a change of weather and recreational opportunities. Skinner’s Hill
Two golf courses await the avid or the occasional golfer. The beautiful 18-hole Austin is a longtime favorite for sledding fun. And several outdoor hockey rinks and two
Country Club also maintains four tennis courts, a swimming pool and a large golf indoor ice arenas, Riverside Arena and Packer Arena, provide plenty of opportunities
practice facility. Meadow Greens Golf Club offers a competitive public 27-hole course to skate. Riverside Arena is home to Austin Packer Hockey, Austin Youth Hockey,
and full clubhouse facilities. Riverside Figure Skate Club and the Austin Bruins Junior A hockey team. Packer
Arena has ice four months in the winter as a great added ice venue for youth
The Jay C. Hormel Nature Center is a year-round haven for outdoor enthusiasts, tournaments, curling and other community ice use.
encompassing 518 acres in northeast Austin. The preserve is alive with native plants,
flowers and wildlife, including deer, turkeys, songbirds and more. There are more than More than $30M has been invested in a new state-of-the-art recreational center,
ten miles of hiking paths that lead the way for cross country skiing and snowshoeing which includes something for everyone. Plus, year-round activities are always
during the winter months. Dobbins Creek provides an outlet for canoers and kayakers present at the Austin Family YMCA, where everybody gets to play, with an array of
in the summer months. youth and adult activities.

The Nature Center boasts a state-of-the-art Interpretive Center offering natural exhibits Wescott Field is a magnificent athletic complex. This 20-acre sports mecca features
and a variety of educational programs throughout the year. The 150-person capacity Haas Football Stadium, Gilbertson Track & Field Complex, Paulson Tennis Courts,
Rudy Rupner Auditorium is available for private and public gatherings. The Nature and practice fields. Both Haas Stadium and Gilbertson Complex have artificial turf
Center staff also oversee the Sola-Fide Observatory, providing the public a close-up and are converted to soccer fields as well. During the winter months, the field in
look at the stars through a 10-inch refractor telescope. Hass Stadium is covered with a dome to allow for year-round sporting activities of
all kinds.
Austin boasts a rich sports tradition. Thirteen miles of bike and walking trails connect
to the nearby Shooting Star Trail, providing nearly 40 miles of accessible bike trails. Summer or winter, outdoors or indoors, Austin is truly someplace special for
Spacious Todd Park features nine softball fields, two intermediate baseball fields, sports enthusiasts of all ages.
three sand volleyball courts, an 18-hole disc golf course, soccer fields and many picnic
areas. An additional 18-hole disc golf course is located at Driesner Park.

Historical Marcusen Park and the four-diamond Riverland Baseball Complex are
home to the high school, college and local amateur baseball teams, as well as being
frequent sites for regional baseball and softball tournaments.