Coalinga-Huron Recreation and Park District @chrpd - Tumblr Blog

Changes ahead for CHRPD

Mark Honberger resigns

At the end of July, Mark Honberger turned in a letter of resignation as the General Manager of the Coalinga-Huron Recreation and Park District. His last day with the District will be August 31. He feels that it has been a privilege serving the community’s park and recreation needs since beginning this journey back on March 5, 2012.

Thank you

Mark has really enjoyed getting to know those who have participated with the District over the years; whether as a park user, or as an event attendee. So many of you have a passion for your community parks, and it comes through in the warm reception that the Parks and Recreation District receives every time we are out in the community.

Highlights

Of the many great things that were accomplished over the past 4 and a half years, some of the most visible items that he is excited about are:

> Restarting the “Coalinga Farmers Market,” and putting it in Keck Park

> Beginning the free “Movies-In-The-Park” program, with a program grant from Chevron

> Publishing the PLAYbook, our activity guide which comes out three times each year. The PLAYbook provided a much needed “presence” for the District in each community, and really puts a face on the awesome programs and facilities that are offered by the district.

> Establishing stability at Camp Yeager, by moving forward and bringing in the new camp caretaker.

> Of 12 full time staff, he had the opportunity of hiring 7, and promoted 2 to new leadership positions.

> Developing positive relationships with community groups in both Coalinga and Huron.

> Adding park signs to Olsen Park, Veterans Field, the Welborn Center, and the Fitness Center. These signs work to provide a consistent face to those facilities.

> Finishing 5 CA State grants that were still open from 2002. As a part of these grants, CHRPD was able to: renovated the dilapidated Chesnut Park recreation building in Huron, added an outdoor basketball court and extra pool decking at Chesnut Park, renovated Veterans Field in Coalinga by redoing the outfield turf and overhauling the infield, and added a new score board and restroom facility also at Veterans Field.

What is next for Mark?

Mark and his family will be will be leaving California altogether, moving to the mountains of Arizona, to begin a different life there. The town of Show Low, AZ is at 6100 foot elevation, and has a plethora of recreational opportunities: lakes, fishing, boating, trails, hiking, mountain biking, atv riding, snow skiing, ponderosa pine trees, high desert, all in the "White Mountain Range" area of AZ. They are excited for what lies ahead.

What is next for the District?

The recruitment for the next General Manager has already been opened on the “job center” website for the California Parks and Recreation Society (www.cprs.org). This website reaches parks & recreation professionals all over California, and beyond. The recruitment will last approximately six weeks, with the first review of applications closing on September 26 at 5 p.m. In the meantime, the CHRPD Board of Directors has been looking into the possibility of an Interim General Manager. Someone who has experience in managing a public agency, and who has experience in running a bond measure campaign. In meeting these goals, the CHRPD Board of Directors has chosen Roger Campbell as their Interim General Manager. Mr. Campbell’s main focus will be working with the bond campaign, moving towards getting it passed in November (we will need a two-thirds approval to pass it). He will also be a steadying force for the District during what can be a tumultuous time while the new General Manager is located.

Summer PLAYbook is now available

Welcome to “PLAYbook Plus!” This weekly column brings you an in-depth look into one or two of the exciting activities offered by the Coalinga-Huron Recreation & Park District. To see the complete list of activities offered by CHRPD, pick up our activity guide (The PLAYbook) or go to www.chrpd.org.

Available online

CHRPD staff has been working hard to put together a super line-up of summer activities. The summer PLAYbook covers all of these activities in one brochure. For the last two weeks, this brochure has been ready online for your viewing pleasure. To view the activity guide electronically, go the CHRPD website at www.chrpd.org, and click on the picture of the PLAYbook, or find it in the menu under “Latest Programs & Events” tab. You can browse the summer activities with the cool view tool that allows you to flip the pages. You can even download it if you so choose. While you are on our website, be sure to look around and see all of the other information you can find on our site.

Available in hard copy

You can always pick up a hard copy of the activity guide at the CHRPD office located in Keck Park. We will also have hard copies of the PLAYbook at locations around town: Welborn Center, Coalinga Fitness Center, Café 101, Library, etc.

Take a road trip

The CHRPD PLAYbook carries the theme, “road trip”, and use a variety of fun license plates to organize the various types of activities. It is fun to try to read these license plates which can only use 7 characters to make a phrase. Go ahead and give it a try, and see if you can get them all.

What it is instore this summer?

During the months of June, July, and August, CHRPD is excited to bring you a full summer of activities for you and your family. We will have swim lessons, recreational swims, lap swims, and aqua aerobic classes. We will have movies in the park, and weekly farmers markets (which started last week). We will have day camps at Olsen Park, aquatic camps at the pool, and an overnight camp at Camp Yeager. We have dance classes, dog obedience classes, karate classes, and group fitness classes. We have trips to casinos and to the coast, plus special lunch celebrations for active adults. As you can see there is a full summer of activities ready for you. More details will be forth coming here in this column each week, plus you can see all of the answers to your questions right now on our website, or you can grab your hard copy of our Summer PLAYbook. Either way, we look forward to participating with you this summer.

CHRPD needs you, to be an instructor

Got a hobby

CHRPD is also looking for instructors to teach classes in Coalinga. These are called “community classes.” An instructor can be anyone who has a hobby that they wish to share with others. An instructor can also be any business owner who wants to highlight an area of their expertise while also promoting their business. And of course, and instructor can also be someone who teaches classes already somewhere else, and does one or two extra classes for CHRPD.

Types of Classes

CHRPD is anxious to offer a much wider range of community classes: from martial arts, to tennis, to dog obedience, to dance, to cooking. The owner of a restaurant may want to teach a cooking class, either for adults or for kids. Someone who has skill with a camera may want to teach a photography class. Current or retired teachers with the school district, or at the college, will have a topic that they know the community craves to know more about. If you even have an inkling of an idea for a class, CHRPD can help you turn that idea into reality. Actually, any hobby, business, skill, or activity can be turned into a class. It just takes a willing person to be the instructor.

How it works

The process really starts with a potential community class instructor proposing an idea to CHRPD. This can be done through a conversation, or by putting your idea into writing. Again, CHRPD can help you with this. Once proposed, CHRPD and the instructor begin to nail down the details for the class. With many years’ experience in working with instructors, CHRPD can offer you helpful advice on what makes a class successful. All CHRPD instructors are independent contractors. As such, the community class instructor receives a percentage of the student fee. Then, the more students that attend a class, the more revenue that instructor makes. We can even establish a minimum number of students, so that you will not be stuck teaching a class with too few students.

Benefits of being an instructor

There are many benefits of being a community class instructor with CHRPD. We will help you develop your class; and then we will advertise your class for you in the PLAYbook, which is our regular Activity Guide that is mailed out to every resident. We can even use your business name, if you have one, in the advertising. We will provide you with a meeting space suitable for your class; and we will take class registrations for you. Also, we will collect the participant class fee, and then pay you your percentage of the student fee.

“Instructor Handbook”

CHRPD has developed an “Instructor Handbook” to help explain how the process works, and to offer you a simple fill-in-the-blanks set of questions to guide the new instructor towards proposing a class. The handbook has all of the info you will need to get started; and can be found on our webpage at www.chrpd.org, just click on the “Contract Instructors” tab located in the left-hand column. So get your thoughts together, and give us a call. We look forward to discussing your idea for a new CHRPD class.

Farmers market every Wednesday

We are underway!

The Coalinga Farmers Market is already underway. This year, we started on the first Wednesday in May, and will carry-on through the last Wednesday in August. Now that Memorial Day weekend has come and gone, it's time to look for that next awesome activity. The Coalinga Farmers Market is it.

Summer PLAYbook is out!

The CHRPD summer PLAYbook should hit your mailbox already. On our Facebook page, at Facebook.com/chrpd, we are having a contest to win a free three-month membership to the Coalinga Fitness Center. All you have to do is take a selfie of yourself with the playbook, and submit it to our Facebook page. You can find more details on the CHRPD Facebook page.

#CHRPD #DiscoverCHRPD #ParksMakeLifeBetter

Trees, turf, and toads

The toads are coming

Many folks think of the Horned Toad Derby as a four day event happening over Memorial Day Weekend, but for CHRPD maintenance crews, the derby means months of preparation to make Olsen Park ready. Much like the Chamber of Commerce, who has been working on details for this year’s derby since last year’s derby ended; at CHRPD, we must also must plan our maintenance practices so that the Olsen Park is in best shape we can get it prior to this annual community event.

Now the community has an expectation that the grass is green, the trees are trimmed, and that the park is safe for the thousands of people descending upon Olsen Park. Here is a look at what your CHRPD maintenance crews must do so that the Horned Toad Derby can happen.

Talking about turf

It is always amazing the impact that heavy foot traffic, from thousands of people, has little blades of grass. The event naturally focuses all foot traffic into several walkways down the middle of the park, which severely stresses the turf in those areas.

In fact, since the event set-up starts on the Tuesday prior, and then the clean-up doesn’t occur until the Tuesday after, all watering in Olsen Park must stop for eight days, right when the turf experiences its highest stress of the year. But actually, CHRPD must stop watering the park a week before that, so that the turf is strong enough to accommodate all of those big amusements trucks, making it two straight weeks that the park goes without water. Then, if the temperatures are hot, the turf experiences even more stress. The combination of heavy foot traffic, high temperatures, and no water is a recipe for disaster when trying to keep grass green and alive. In years past, CHRPD would apply extra water during the weeks at the end of April, and the beginning of May, in order to establish strong turf, with healthy root systems, way in advance of the Derby. This year, however, we are faced with the current drought watering restrictions, which means all of that pre-watering cannot take place. CHRPD staff is doing what it can to try and prevent a dry and dusty derby.

Trimming the trees

Every year, prior to the Derby event, we conduct an assessment of the tree canopy in Olsen Park, with an eye towards any high limbs that might potentially fall. At a cost of many thousands of dollars, all of these trees are properly thinned and trimmed to eliminate any hazards.

In addition to trees and turf maintenance, CHRPD crews also ensure that park grounds are in good shape. We fix and clean the Shade Structures; and we also inspect the large electrical boxes placed throughout the park needed for the Amusement Rides and Vendors Booths, upgrading plugs and receptacles, as needed.

Final thoughts

We give kudos to the Coalinga Chamber of Commerce for their effort in putting the Derby together. We also celebrate the efforts of the CHRPD maintenance crew in getting the park ready for this awesome event. So come out this weekend, and enjoy both the derby and the park.

#ParksMakeLifeBetter #CHRPD #DerbyInCoalinga #OlsenPark

Coalinga Farmers Market

May Market

We have started the Coalinga Farmers Market Earlier this year, as last week was our first market. By starting in May, we hope to catch some cooler temperatures. Plus, there are some produce that is ripe right now, but won’t be come June. The market will run on every Wednesday evening in May, June, July, and August. CHRPD holds the Coalinga Farmer’s Market, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Keck Park. In addition to the Fresh Produce vendors, the Hot Food vendors, and the Craft vendors, there are always a lot of fun things for kids to do and try. There is even face painting, and of course the playground at Keck Park. Every market night is a fun family night out. Then in mid-June we will start up the Movies in the Park series, which will feature nine movies this year, starting right after the Coalinga Farmer’s Market.

Summer PLAYbook is online

CHRPD staff has been working diligently to bring you a super summer of activities. The summer PLAYbook is now done and off to the printer; and should arriving in your mailbox within a week or so. However, you can see it now, by getting a sneak peak, and be the first of your friends to know what’s happening. Just go to the CHRPD website at www.chrpd.org and click on the Summer PLAYbook, which is the CHRPD Activity Guide. Some summer highlights are: (1) Camp Yeager overnight Summer Camp, (2) Fourth of July Family Camp, (3) Recreational Swims and Swim Lessons, (4) Movies-In-The-Park, (5) Day Camp programs at Olsen Park, Keck Park, and Chesnut Park, (6) Classes for kids and adults, and of course (7) Coalinga Farmers Market.

Parks Make Life Better!

Remember to go online, at www.chrpd.org, and check out the latest CHRPD Activity Guide, our Summer PLAYbook, so you can be the first to know what is coming up this summer.

#ParksMaketLifeBetter #CHRPD #Coalinga #Huron

Coalinga Bike Rodeo this weekend!

Bike rodeo for kids of all ages

The Coalinga Bike Rodeo will be Saturday, May 2, 2015, starting at 10 a.m. at Keck Park, and lasting until 12:30 p.m. This free event is open to boys and girls of all ages, but is geared towards those just starting to ride a bike up to 13 years of age. The Bike Rodeo is the brought to you by the Coalinga Kiwanis Club, partnering with the CHRPD. Kids should bring their own bikes and helmets to the Bike Rodeo, as they will have the opportunity to ride through the Obstacle Skills Course, participate other fun bicycle games, learn how to change a flat tire, have their bike inspected with a safety check, have their helmet fitted, and learn about bike crime prevention.

Thank you to our partners

This event would not happen without the efforts of the Coalinga Kiwanis Club, and our very own Rhonda Maestri, the CHRPD Recreation Coordinator. We would also like to say “thank you,” in advance, to all of the other partners who are coming together to make this event a success: the Coalinga Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Coalinga State Hospital Bike Patrol, the Coalinga Fire Department, and the Valley Children’s Hospital. Without their help, the Coalinga Bike Rodeo would not be as awesome as it is going to be. If you would like more information about this event, please call the CHRPD office at 559-935-0727.

Summer Camp on the Coast

About Camp Yeager

Camp Yeager is located in Cambria, California, one mile from the pacific coast. This rustic 12 acre facility is nestled in the pines and offers a dining hall, 18 rustic cabins, a new restroom and shower facility, a recreation hall, outdoor stage with large campfire, a softball area, and a large meadow with walking trails. For most of the year, Camp Yeager operates as a rentable facility, with families and businesses reserving their weekends at camp. Renting camp is very popular with folks in Coalinga and Huron, and beyond.

Summer camp

During 3 weeks in the summer, CHRPD offers a summer camp program that is perfect for your kids. During these summer camps, the campers are under adult supervision at all times as they engage in exciting camp activities geared towards their age group, including: nightly campfires, hikes, movie nights, beach field trips, all-camp games, cabin skits, camp songs, sports, dramas, nature education, storytelling, archery, arts and crafts, classes, team building exercises, and much more.

Transportation and meals

Of course, camp starts when the campers meet the bus on a Monday morning at the CHRPD community center. It is there that both campers and counselors alike will board the bus and begin their expedition to a week of fun filled activities. Camp will conclude when the campers are returned to the CHRPD community center on that following Friday. While at camp, campers will receive three meals each day, prepared by a certified kitchen staff. All transportation and meals are included in the camp fee.

Themes and dates

There will be three weeks of camp this summer. Of course, each week has its own theme, with built in games and activities to reflect the theme. Week #1 (July 6 through July 10) is “Hunger Games”. Week #2 (July 13 through July 17) is “Pirates of Morro Rock”. Week #3 (July 20 through July 24) is “Galaxy Quest”. Campers will be split up into two age groups, based on the grade that the camper is going to be in after summer. The elementary group includes: third grade, fourth grade and fifth grade. The middle school group includes: sixth grade, seventh grade, and eighth grade. Both groups are available for all three weeks, and each group will have their own age-appropriate activities. You can send your child to one, two, or even all three weeks.

About the directors

Out camp directors are Clete and Angie Walker. Prior to directing our CHRPD summer camp last year, the Walkers were the directors for 20 years of “Camp Rowdy Ridge” in Lake Arrowhead. Prior to that, the Walkers ran “Camp St. Vincent DePaul”, for inner city kids out of L.A. Angie has worked for many years as a substitute teacher for CHUSD. Her hobbies are writing poetry and blogs, running, and performing arts. Clete has worked as a school teacher for 18 years, the last 11 as a PE teacher for Coalinga Middle School.

So what does camp cost?

This year, each summer camp at Camp Yeager will be 5 days long, Monday through Friday. The fee includes: transportation to Cambria, all meals, staff supervision, all trips, and all activities listed above. For kids living inside the district boundaries of CHRPD, camp will cost $100 per child, which works out to only costing $20 per day. If your children need help paying for camp, CHRPD staff will set up a system by which they can sell candy to help raise the funds needed. To participate in the candy selling program, please contact the CHRPD office.

Family Camp

But wait, there’s more. Just like last summer, CHRPD is offering something fun for you and your family, over the Fourth of July weekend: a family camp. Instead of sending just one or two children to camp, now you can send your whole family to camp. Families will register for camp on a per cabin basis, so when you sign up, you are claiming a whole cabin. We have cabins that can sleep up to 12 people, so you can fit multiple families in one cabin if you wish. Cabin Fees are offered from $300 to $400 per weekend, and will cover the entire weekend. Come up on Friday, July 3, in time for dinner and campfire activities (you have to provide your own transportation). Meals also include: breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday, and then breakfast on Sunday morning (a total of 5 meals). Saturday’s schedule includes: fun outdoor challenges, family games, activity stations, archery, family team building, and a camp fire at night with skits. On Sunday, after breakfast, we will go on down to the beach to check it out, but you will be free to go and do whatever your family desires. You can explore the California coastline, visit the castle, or see the sea lions. Family camp will be a great opportunity to bond with your family members. Some families are even using the weekend as a way to see what camp is like, to see if they want to send their children to the kids’ summer camp happening the following weeks. Don’t wait to reserve your cabin, as there are only so many available.

This year's Pleasant Valley Car Show and Spring Craft Boutique was so fun! Thank you to everyone who attended our 1st annual show. Check out the photos from the event! https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.786368631459763.1073741867.292858354144129&type=1

#CHRPDcarShow CoalingaCarAndCraftShow ParksMakeLifeBetter CoalingaSaturday

Pleasant Valley Car and Craft Show

Pleasant Valley Car Show

On Saturday, April 18, CHRPD will be hosting its very first car show; and the response has been overwhelming. We had hoped for 20-30 cars or so, but at last count, we are getting closer to 60 cars in the show. While there are a few entries from clubs from across the valley coming over to show off their cars, the vast majority of entries are local vehicles from here in Coalinga. What a great statement about our community, coming together to support a community event. There will be prizes for top cars, and lots of good food. The event, located in Keck Park, starts at 10 a.m. and will go until about 3 p.m. There will be prizes and giveaways for spectators too.

Spring Boutique Craft Show

CHRPD will also be hosting its very first craft show. Seeing as that this was our first year for both the car show and the craft show, we decided to put them on the same day so that they could build off of each other. The Spring Boutique Craft Show has a nice number of booths entered for your craft collecting pleasure. So come on out to Keck Park, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for some good food, hot cars, and creative crafts. It will be a fun family event.

CHRPD has online classes!

Need something to do, learn something new

CHRPD as a lot of options when it comes to learning something new. We have classes for all ages, as well: from kids to adults to seniors. So don’t just sit there bored, use your vacation time wisely, by taking one of our many classes. You can dive deeper into your favorite topic, learn a new skill, start a new hobby, or even start a business.

Coalinga Online Learning

As seen in the PLAYbook, CHRPD now offers online courses, which you can take any time, any day of the week, and at your own pace. These “Coalinga Online Learning” courses are informative, fun, convenient, and highly interactive. The instructors are famous for their ability to create warm and supportive communities of learners. All courses run for six weeks (with a 10-day grace period at the end). Courses are project-oriented and include lessons, quizzes, hands-on assignments, discussion areas, supplementary links, and more. You can complete any course entirely from your home or office. Any time of the day or night.

Getting started is easy

1) Visit our Online Instruction Center: www.ed2go.com/chrpd

2) Click the “Courses” link, choose the department and course title you are interested in and select the “Enroll Now” button. Follow the instructions to enroll and pay for your course. Here you will enter your e-mail and choose a password that will grant you access to the Classroom.

3) When your course starts, return to our Online Instruction Center and click the “Classroom” link. To begin your studies, simply log in with your e-mail and the password you selected during enrollment.

Here a sampling of courses

There are over 200 classes to choose from:

“Introduction to Microsoft Excel” - Discover the secrets to setting up fully formatted worksheets quickly and efficiently.

“Creating Web Pages” - Learn the basics of HTML so you can design, create, and post your very own site on the Web.

“Accounting Fundamentals” - Gain a marketable new skill by learning the basics of double entry bookkeeping, financial reporting, and more.

“Speed Spanish”- Learn six easy recipes to glue Spanish words together into sentences, and you'll be speaking Spanish in no time.

“A to Z Grant Writing” - Learn how to research and develop relationships with potential funding sources, organize grant writing campaigns, and prepare proposals.

“Medical Terminology: A Word Association Approach” - Prepare for a career in the health services industry by learning medical terminology in a memorable and enjoyable fashion.

“Introduction to QuickBooks” - Learn how to quickly and efficiently gain control over the financial aspects of your business.

“Grammar Refresher” - Gain confidence in your ability to produce clean, grammatically correct documents and speeches.

“Intermediate Microsoft Excel” - Work faster and more productively with Excel's most powerful tools.

“Real Estate Investing” - Build and protect your wealth by investing in real estate.

“Introduction to Microsoft Access” - Store, locate, print, and automate access to all types of information.

“Introduction to Microsoft Word” - Learn how to create and modify documents with the world's most popular word processor.

“Project Management Fundamentals” - Gain the skills you'll need to succeed in the fast-growing field of project management.

“Computer Skills for the Workplace” - Gain a working knowledge of the computer skills you'll need to succeed in today's job market.

“Introduction to Dreamweaver” - Harness the broad range of capabilities Dreamweaver brings to Web development.

“Introduction to PC Troubleshooting” - Learn to decipher and solve almost any problem with your PC.

“Introduction to PowerPoint” - Build impressive slide presentations filled with text, images, video, audio, charts, and more.

“Going Green at Home” - Step into a green lifestyle as you discover simple, cost-effective ways to make your home environmentally friendly.

“Discover Digital Photography” - An informative introduction to the fascinating world of digital photography equipment.

“GRE Preparation - Part 1” - Discover powerful strategies for success in the verbal and analytical sections of the GRE.

Turn Your Hobby into Cash!

Got a hobby?

CHRPD is looking to offer many more classes for you and your family to enjoy. In order to do that, we need instructors. An instructor can be anyone who has a hobby that they wish to share with others. An instructor can also be any business owner who wants to highlight an area of their expertise while also promoting their business. And of course, and instructor can also be someone who teaches classes already somewhere else, and does one or two extra classes for CHRPD.

Types of Classes

CHRPD is anxious to offer a much wider range of classes: from martial arts, to tennis, to dog obedience, to dance, to cooking. The owner of a restaurant may want to teach a cooking class, either for adults or for kids. Someone who has skill with a camera may want to teach a photography class. Current or retired teachers with the school district, or at the college, will have a topic that they know the community craves to know more about. If you even have an inkling of an idea for a class, CHRPD can help you turn that idea into reality. Actually, any hobby, business, skill, or activity can be turned into a class. It just takes a willing person to be the instructor.

How it works

The process really starts with an interested instructor proposing an idea to CHRPD. This can be done through a conversation, or by putting your idea into writing. Again, CHRPD can help you with this. Once proposed, CHRPD and the instructor begin to nail down the details for the class. With many years’ experience in working with instructors, CHRPD can offer you helpful advice on what makes a class successful. All CHRPD instructors are independent contractors. As such, the contract instructor receives a percentage of the student fee. Then, the more students that attend a class, the more revenue that instructor makes. We can even establish a minimum number of students, so that you will not be stuck teaching a class with too few students.

Benefits of being an instructor

There are many benefits of being a Contract Instructor with CHRPD. We will help you develop your class; and then we will advertise your class for you in the PLAYbook, our regular Activity Guide which is mailed to every resident. We can even use your business name, if you have one, in the advertising. We will provide you with a meeting space suitable for your class; and we will take class registrations for you. Also, we will collect the participant class fee, and then pay you your percentage of the student fee.

“Contract Instructor Handbook”

CHRPD has developed a “Contract Instructor Handbook” to help explain how the process works, and to offer you a simple fill-in-the-blanks set of questions to guide the new instructor towards proposing a class. The handbook has all of the info you will need to get started; and can be found on our webpage at www.chrpd.org, just click on the “Contract Instructors” tab. So get your thoughts together, and give us a call. We look forward to discussing your idea for a new CHRPD class.

Coalinga Fitness Center

No startup Fees

The Coalinga Fitness Center, located at 191 E. Forest Avenue, has what you need in cardio machines, strength training machines, and lots of free weights. Plus, we even have a Basketball Gymnasium, with tons of open gym time. Of course we also have lots of fitness classes, from Aerobics to Zumba. What we don’t have is “startup fees”, “enrollment fees”, or “processing fees.” We just have simple, low cost membership rates

Pre-paid memberships

CHRPD’s “pre-paid” membership make it easy for you to get started in our relaxed workout environment. The basic 1-Month, pre-paid membership is only $30. From there, we offer discounts that make membership even cheaper. CHRPD has multi-month discounts for pre-paid memberships at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. On top of that, we even offer discounts for high school students, college students, families, and seniors. These discounts, however, do not expire after 30 days or even after the first year. Our fees just are what they are. The Coalinga Fitness Center pre-paid memberships are the best deal in town.

Zany for Zumba

Zumba is an awesome experience, where you can “ditch the workout, and join the party.” Zumba is the original dance-fitness party. Classes are held every day. Instructor Toni’s class is every Monday through Thursday at 6 p.m. Instructor Martha, has the morning Zumba at 10 a.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, and 8:30 a.m. on Saturdays.

Awesome Aerobics

At the Coalinga Fitness Center, we also offer Basic Aerobics classes every morning at 8:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, taught by instructor Ruby. CHRPD is also looking for additional instructors to do other kinds of aerobic classes or any kind of group fitness classes, so if you are certified and are interested in teaching a type of class that we currently do not offer, then we would like to speak with you.

Be a Baller

All members of the Coalinga Fitness Center can play basketball during any of our open gym hours. B-ball hours are Monday through Thursday 10:30 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. On Friday, basketball hours are 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Saturdays, B-ball goes from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Plus, we have recently given the gymnasium a new coat of paint, which makes the gym look great.

Kicking the Cardio

The Coalinga Fitness Center has a nice variety of cardio machines, including treadmills, elliptical machines, stair steppers, and stationary bikes. In fact, we recently lost a treadmill that had become broken beyond repair, but the brand new replacement treadmill has now arrived, and should be up and running this week. Cardio machines are a great way to get your heart rate up and build up your endurance.

Free weights, strength machines

The Coalinga Fitness Center also has a nice assortment of free weights, dumb bells, and bar bells. Plus, we have strength machines, or cable machines, to help you work out each muscle group. Combining the cardio with the strength training will help you achieve your peak performance.

Super Staff

The Coalinga Fitness Center also has friendly staff that can help you find what you need, or even help you set up a beginning workout program. We have been making upgrades to several older pieces of equipment, and will be upgrading others shortly.

Try it for a day

For only $5, you can come try out the Coalinga Fitness Center for a day. The “Day Pass” gets you access to everything: the weight room, the cardio machines, the basketball gym, and the fitness center classes. This is a great way to find out what the Coalinga Fitness Center is all about. To see our super low membership rates, check out the PLAYbook (our activity guide), or go to our website at www.chrpd.org.

Parks Make Life Better!

Ed2Go is the place to go!

Coalinga Online Learning

As seen in the PLAYbook, CHRPD now offers online courses. You can take classes any time, any day of the week, and at your own pace. These “Coalinga Online Learning” courses are informative, fun, convenient, and highly interactive. CHRPD as a lot of options when it comes to learning something new online. We have classes for all ages: from kids to adults to seniors. You can dive deeper into your favorite topic, learn a new skill, start a new hobby, or even start a business.

The instructors are famous for their ability to create warm and supportive communities of learners. All courses run for six weeks (with a 10-day grace period at the end). Courses are project-oriented and include lessons, quizzes, hands-on assignments, discussion areas, supplementary links, and more. You can complete any course entirely from your home or office. Any time of the day or night.

How it works

1) Visit our Online Instruction Center: www.ed2go.com/chrpd

Don’t wait!

There have been several folks from Coalinga already take advantage of these great classes. So far the most popular classes have been the “Introduction to Microsoft Excel” and “A to Z Grant Writing.” So go online and see which classes you want to take first.

How do parks make life better?

Survey Says

A recent survey conducted by the California Park and Recreation Society, discovered that 98% of households visit a park at least once each year, that 68% of households visit a park at least monthly, and that 50% of households participated in a recreation program at least once in the past year. This means that “Parks make life better.” Here are the many ways this is true

Physical activity

Parks offer an opportunity to get physically active. Physical activity is an essential part of an individual's efforts to stay healthy, fight obesity and prevent chronic conditions that lead to coronary disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Research has long shown that people living in proximity to parks lead more active lifestyles and live longer, productive lives. Parks also improve moods, reduce stress and enhance a sense of wellness.

Place to relax

In an increasingly complex world, more and more people are placing a high value on achieving the feelings of relaxation and peacefulness that come from contact with nature, recreation, and exposure to natural open spaces. We visit parks to relax, pause, recalibrate and to decrease the anxieties of daily life.

Economic benefit

Parks have true economic benefits. The proximity of parks to residential areas leads to increased value of private property, a higher tax base, and numerous small business benefits. Special events held in parks bring dollars from visitors for gas, food, and occasionally lodging. Recreation programs puts staff to work, and support both part-time and full-time opportunities. Park and recreation areas are economic engines that foster viable, robust communities.

Green Space

Parks provide the vital green space needed in an urbanized landscape. Parks also provide vegetative buffers to construction and development. More importantly, parks can reduce heat island effects, and act as natural sound barriers. Large park lands, and open spaces, can often preserve critical wildlife habitats, and allow natural wildlife to co-exist with people while providing enjoyment and educational opportunity for children and families.

Social Interaction

Parks facilitate social interactions that are critical to maintaining community cohesion and a sense of community pride. Parks provide a meeting place where community members can develop social ties, and where healthy behavior is modeled and admired. These public common areas are often the glue that holds the community together and the means to maintaining and improving future positive social interactions.

Structured Activity

Parks provide activities that are organized, structured, and enjoyable for all ages. These activities offer opportunities to develop the skills necessary to successfully and confidently engage in sports, dance, crafts and other social activities. Public recreational sports leagues and classes offer seniors, adults and children alike the opportunity to interact with coaches and teachers who often turn into mentors and role models. Quality recreational programs facilitate safety, good sportsmanship, and community participation.

Additionally, park activity provide a refuge of safety for at-risk youth. Recreational programs at public parks provide children with a safe refuge and a place to play, which are critical in reducing at-risk behavior such as drug use and gang involvement. Recreational programs led by trained leaders offer children healthy role models and give valuable life lessons to help steer youth to a future of promise and opportunity for success.'

Goals of CHRPD

CHRPD strives to provide the citizens of Huron and Coalinga with: 1) Improved Health and Wellness, 2) Strengthening of Families, and 3) an Increased Sense of Community. We do this by offering special events, recreational classes, athletic and aquatic programs, senior activities, the rental of rooms and picnic areas, and by providing large park spaces full of amenities and green turf ready to play on. CHRPD is truly essential to the daily lives of those living in our community. Parks do make life better.

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