Although the weather is cooling down, Iola has many places for Allen Community College students to blow off steam. For those wanting to get active, many parks in the community offer cozy places to sit and read, enjoy a picnic, or get moving with friends.

Iola’s largest park, located on the south side of town, Riverside Park has many things to offer including a baseball diamond, walking track and public pool. One of Riverside’s main attractions is the Recreational Building which is run by Iola’s Parks and Recreation Director Jason Bauer.

Bauer has become a familiar face to students, as many young people find summer jobs at the park, and some even continue into the fall. 

“Employing students increases the quality of work because they know that they will playing on the field and that they are also making a better place for the younger kids to play,” said Bauer.

Bauer stated the Rec Center is important because it creates a safe place for kids to come to play and for adults to come exercise.

However, Riverside is not the only park in Iola. Located just down the road from the college is the Meadowbrook Park, home to pickleball courts, a game similar to tennis but instead of using rackets players use a paddle and a plastic ball. There is some park equipment at Meadowbrook; however, the courts are the main attraction.

The disc golf course on the south end of Washington also provides a place for fun exercise. The course has 9 holes with various distances and  terrain to add difficulty to the game. The newly added Washington Pedestrian Bridge or King of Trails Bridge connects Washington street to the LeHigh Portland Trails.