Spring/Summer 2022 Parks and Recreation Activities Brochure

ACTIVITIES BROCHURE Spring/Summer 2022 ACTIVITIES BROCHURE Spring/Summer 2022

Shakopee Parks and Recreation | Recreation Hotline 952-233-9502

PARKS & RECREATION ACTIVITIES BROCHURE SPRING/SUMMER 2022

CITY PROGRAMS Registration Information. . . . 4 Preschool Programs. . . . . . . 6 Youth Programs. . . . . . . . . 8 Adult Sports. . . . . . . . . . 11 Active Older Adults . . . . . . 12 Family & Special Events. . . . . . . . 14 Aquatics. . . . . . . . . . . . 16 SandVenture Aquatic Park. . . 18 Fitness. . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Community Center/Ice Arena. . . 20 Park Facilities . . . . . . . . . 21 Cover Photo: From left: Lou Hennen, Pat Boeckman, Gwen Olson, and Sandy Rients play Mahjong together every Wednesday.

The regular Mahjong players at the Community Center say the weekly activity helps break up the week while they enjoy time with friends.

For the Love of the Game Ṡ akpe ti Lounge Mahjong players seek new recruits

Mahjong is a Chinese game played usu- ally by groups of four people, with 136 or 144 rectangular tiles. The object is to collect winning sets of the tiles, similar to the card game gin rummy. Being that Mahjong is so involved, Rients said it can be difficult to recruit new play- ers for their Wednesday game day. In fact, even after taking a class on the game rules, Rients felt nervous to play with oth- ers at the Community Center. “I felt like I wasn’t good enough to come play, but everybody here is willing to help,” she said. The group is hoping to attract other active older adults to join them. Part of the fun is branching out of your usual social circle and learning something new while mak- ing new connections, Olson said. “It’s a good way to make friends and meet people,”Hennen said. “We just like to play.”

In a world where it’s difficult to gather in pub- lic without spendingmoney or feeling rushed, Shakopee resident Sandy Rients loves her weekly afternoon of Mahjong with friends at the Community Center. “There’s no pressure here,” Rients said. “You don’t have to buy anything or make a dessert or clean your house.” Rients meets other local Mahjong players at 1 p.m. every Wednesday in the Commu- nity Center’s Ṡ akpe ti Lounge. The lounge is a place for Shakopee’s active older adults to gather and socialize, with a full kitchen, com- fortable chairs and television. Shakopee residents Lou Hennen, Pat Boeck- man, Gwen Olson and Rients met through a Mahjong class offered at the Community Center before the COVID-19 pandemic. They and others became fast friends and played together every Wednesday until the pan- demic forced a long break. A series of phone calls in 2021 brought them back together. “All your problems are gone when you’re here because you’re concentrated on the game,” Rients said. “And it’s good for your brain and memory,” Boeckman said.

COVID-19 PRECAUTIONS All programs will follow current federal and state health guidelines and are subject to change or cancellation. Note, many of the photos included in this brochure were taken pre-COVID precautions.

RECREATION HOTLINE: 952-233-9502

On days of inclement weather, the message will be updated 30 minutes prior to the start of the program.

For questions about the lounge or the active older adults programming, contact Mary Feltmann at mfeltmann@ShakopeeMN.gov .

www.ShakopeeMN.gov/registration | P: 952-233-9500 | H: 952-233-9502 | TTY: 952-496-4122 3