External Website www.accleisureservices.com Administration 706-613-3800 706-613-3805 [Fax] Administration Hours Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.  (Various for facilities) Director Pam Reidy Administration Location Bishop Park 705 Sunset Drive Location Map Mailing Address P.O. Box 1868 Athens, GA 30603

New! Sandy Creek Park invites citizens to join Lindsay Thomas, Jr. with Quality Deer Management Association and learn about living with suburban deer, an overview of the benefits and problems associated with deer in a suburban setting and how to deal with problems like deer/car collisions, and damage to landscapes and gardens. 

Deer Neighbors is scheduled for Saturday, March 20 at 2:00 p.m. at Sandy Creek Park at 400 Bob Holman Road. The fee is $2 per person. Pre-registration is required by March 19 by calling 706-613-3631. For more information, call 706- 613-3631 or visit www.accleisureservices.com. 

New! Arts Unleashed Seeks Local Artists:ACC Leisure Services Arts Division is seeking performing and visual artists to participate in the fourth annual Arts Unleashed.

Past events featured a range of artists and art forms including modern dance in a bookstore, theatre improvisation in a cafe, bluegrass music on a playground, visual arts demonstrations on a bus, and haiku poetry hike at the zoo.

For projects, artists may select a date that falls between March 22 and June 28. Artist applications and guidelines are available at www.accleisureservices.com.

Applications and project proposals are due no later than March 8. For more information, please call (706) 613-3620.

New! 35th Juried Exhibition at Lyndon House Arts Center: The 35th Juried Exhibition at Lyndon House Arts Center showcases a wealth of Athens area talent. Paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolor and mixed media, large and small sculpture, works in clay and in fiber, jewelry, photographs, drawings, prints, and other works can be seen in four galleries. The exhibition will continue through May 8. For more information, please call (706) 613-3623.

New! Summer Camp Registration Kick-Off:

ACC Leisure Services will be holding a Summer Camp Registration Kick-Off on Saturday, April 10, at the Classic Center from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. This registration event is for ACC residents only. Registration for ACC residents continue the following week through the spring, during regular hours of operation. Non-ACC residents may begin registration Wednesday, April 14. For more information, please call (706) 613-3625.

Leisure Services was honored by the Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA) with several awards, including the prestigious State Agency of the Year Award.

For the fifth consecutive year, ACC Leisure Services received the State Agency of the Year for populations 80,001 and larger. The award is based on outstanding programs, and accomplishments over the past twelve months.

The Lyndon House Arts Center was presented with two awards for its programs. It’s My Planet: The Rainforest Art Camp was recognized with the Innovative Camp award. The Athens Scottish Heritage Festival event was named Innovative Special Event program.

Additionally, Rocksprings Park’s Inauguration Party was selected as Innovative Program – Minority Section. 

ACC Leisure Services volunteers and staff were honored for their service, as well. Melissa Bowden received a GRPA District 7 as well as the Outdoor/Parks Section and State Volunteer Award for her work in support of the Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail at Memorial Park. Cathy Padgett, ACC Leisure Services Public Information Coordinator, received the Distinguished Professional Award-Programmers Section.  

Calling All Collectors of Athens History: Did you or a member of your family own a business that was housed in the Morton Building? Were you involved in the restoration and reopening of the Morton Theatre?

The Morton Theatre staff is looking for any old articles, newspaper clippings, ticket stubs, photographs and even personal stories relating to the Morton Theatre and the businesses that made up the historic center of the "Hot Corner" downtown Black business district in preparation for the Centennial Celebration in 2010.

If you have any memorabilia that you would like to contribute, or if you have a story or two pertaining to the Morton's heyday, please contact the Morton's Administrative Office at (706) 613-3770 or email history@mortontheatre.com and share your experiences!

ACC Leisure Services now has online podtours available of the Historic Ware Lyndon House, the Zoo, and other sites at www.accleisureservices.com/podcasts.shtml.

Construction has begun on the Peter Street entrance and bridge to the East Athens Community Park located at 200 Trail Creek Street. The entrance will help improve access from the Peter Street/Athens Perimeter/10 Loop areas into the park which was opened in May 2006. Construction began on February 16, 2009 and was scheduled for completion by November 2009, but was delayed due to weather. East Athens Community Park is a facility of ACC Leisure Services. For more information, please call (706) 613-3625.

AWARDS

• Georgia Recreation & Park Association (GRPA) State Agency of the Year Award (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) - Populations 80,001 & larger
• District 7 Agency of the Year Award from the Georgia Recreation and Park Association (GRPA) Services Department.
• National Award of Excellence for the WE CAN (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition) Program.
• Sandy Creek Nature Center founder and long-time volunteer Walter L. Cook, Jr. was honored by the Turner Broadcasting System (TBS) for his more than 30 years of service to local environmental and conservation efforts on their Pathfinderprogram.
• The Georgia Recreation and Park Association awarded the State Agency of the Year Award, as well as seven Innovative Program Awards; the Athens Disc Golf Club received a state Volunteer Award; The Lyndon House Arts Center received three awards for its programs; Special events at Southeast Clarke Park was recognized as Innovative Programs in the Programmers and Athletics Sections.
• Georgia Recreation and Park Association Cultural Affairs Section’s Dorothy Mullins Arts and Humanities Award for the Athens/Xalapa Artists’ Exchange program (2007)
• Georgia Recreation and Park Association's Marketing and Visibility Committee Publicity Award for a multi-event for the Passport to Fun coupon booklet for July is National Recreation and Parks Month (2007)
• Whit Davis Elementary School was honored with the Outdoor and Parks Section Volunteer Award, District 7, as well as the state Volunteer Award, for its work at SE Clarke Park.  Ms. Stroup’s classes mapped and cleared the trail at SE Clarke Park, using the activity as a service learning project. (2007)

FACILITIES & PROGRAMS
For a full list of Leisure Services facilities, visit the ACC Leisure Services Web site Facilities Page.

MISSION
To enrich the lives of our citizens through the stewardship of the county’s natural resources and the efficient and responsive provision of quality leisure opportunities, experiences, and partnerships.