Did you know? The vast majority of Bristol residents felt the greatest strength and number one thing they loved about Bristol is the parks system (Winter 2019 Bristol Development Authority Community Survey). The Bristol Parks and Recreation Department is proud that the community recognizes the beauty and endless physical, emotional and social benefits of our 730 acre park system. As Park champions we believe everyone deserves a great park regardless of factors like age, ability, race, ethnicity and socio-economic status. Parks are a public gathering place for people of all walks of life to come together and build community.
The Bristol Parks and Recreation Department is a dynamic operation that includes Parks, Grounds and Facilities Maintenance Division, Recreation Division and Aquatics Division. The department is comprised of 24 full time employees and more than 150 part-time seasonal employees. Our Parks, Grounds and Facilities Maintenance team oversees the operation of two major active parks with over 100 acres each (Page and Rockwell Park), eight neighborhood parks, a lighted stadium (Muzzy Field), the Veterans Memorial Boulevard and four open space passive parks. Our parks have something for the whole family to enjoy, featuring amenities such as 3 water spray parks, 14 tennis courts, 6 sand volleyball courts, 7 fishing areas, 6 basketball courts, 6 pre-school playgrounds, 4 baseball diamonds, 6 softball diamonds, hiking trails, and 2 eighteen hole disc golf courses to name a few. Park operations is headed up by Parks, Grounds and Facilities Supervisor Robert Lincoln.
The Recreation Division coordinates over a hundred seasonal programs for all ages from pre-school to seniors including our popular Summer Camps, fitness classes, art instruction, sports clinics and more! The division is also responsible for the organization of dozens of special events throughout the year including the long running Perry J. Spinelli Fishing Derby which is in its 68th year, the annual Santa Land Village, and the popular Summer Concert Series for example. The division also works with community organizations to administer gatherings and events in our parks. Jessie Caetano, Recreation Supervisor states “”Recreation is one of the key pillars in building quality of life for residents of all ages. It promotes a healthy body and mind, while creating community through shared passions.”
The Aquatics Division is responsible for 2 outdoor park pools (Page and Rockwell) and an indoor year round community pool; the Dennis Malone Aquatics Center. A comprehensive American Red Cross Learn to Swim program reaches over three thousand Bristol youth and adults throughout the year, teaching them the essential lifelong skill of learning to swim. The division also coordinates popular water fitness classes, the recreational Splash Swim Team and many float night events throughout the year. The Dennis Malone Aquatics Center is also home to Bristol Central/Eastern, St. Paul’s and Lewis Mills High School Swim Teams. Daily passes and memberships are available for purchase at the pool and online. Aquatics Supervisor, Jaimie Clout, is passionate about safety and keeping up on the latest trends in the aquatics world to ensure Bristol is offering top level aquatics services.
As the new Superintendent of Parks and Recreation for the City of Bristol, Dr. Joshua Medeiros looks forward to “finding ways to make our operations more efficient, bolstering up our existing offerings and meeting community needs through the development of new activities, amenities and initiatives”. Under his leadership the department will be engaged in strategic and master planning for the entire Parks and Recreation operation. The newly created position of Recreation and Community Outreach Coordinator will play a key role in the administration of new initiatives and services to benefit the residents of Bristol including more activities targeting college age students and adults. Dr. Medeiros further elaborated, “The Bristol Parks Department is more than just a service provider; we are a solution based organization striving to be the leader in health and wellness, harnessing the power of parks in economic development and finding ways to tackle social and community issues within Bristol!”
Visit us at www.bristolrec.com to view our programs, events, services and facilities.
Registration for activities is available online and in person at the Parks and Recreation Office Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm.
For more information please contact us at parksandrecreation@bristolct.gov or call 860-584-6160. Join the conversation on Facebook (Bristol Parks and Recreation) and Instagram (Bristolctparksandrec).