InTucker Magazine

March 2022

Ask Rip – March 2022

Rip Robertson is the Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Tucker.

Since we began to build our department in 2018, we have worked hard on developing our parks and facilities. Along with those, we have really put our efforts over the last couple of years into community programs and events. We have had many successes and have seen our participation really take off. This is true from our monthly community activities and summer camp to youth and adult athletics.

We just wrapped up our second youth basketball season and will be hosting the 10 and Under Boys GRPA State Championships. We registered over 180 kids and partnered with Rehoboth Baptist Church to play a great regular season. We really want to thank our parents and kids for a great year.

Now on to spring and BASEBALL! Registration is still open for everyone and we hope to build on our inaugural 2021 season. There are a couple more weeks to register for the tee-ball (5- and 6-year-olds) and coach pitch (7- and 8-year-olds) divisions, as well as for our 9-10 and 11-12 age groups. We have added a pre-tee-ball program for three- and four-year-olds that will meet each Tuesday and Thursday at 5 p.m. through May 16. We will take registration for this group throughout the season.

Our tee-ball evaluation night and final registration will be Monday March 7 at 6 p.m. For our 7- and 8-year-olds, evaluation and final registration will be Tuesday March 8 at 6 p.m. Our 9-10 and 11–12 age divisions will have evaluations and final registration on Thursday March 10 at 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., respectively. We also have offered fast pitch softball for the 9-10 and 11-12 age groups for the first time, with evaluations at the same time as the baseball groups. Our 2022 Baseball Opening Day is on Saturday April 16. As part of our opening day event, we will host our annual Egg Hunt at 9:00 a.m. at Fitzgerald Park. Make plans to be there!

We are also expanding our programs into the rapidly growing world of e-Sports. We have opened registration for a number of online sports and games to begin next month. This program is for ages eight and above and will be divided into age groups. You can go to www.tuckerga.gov/parks and under “Tucker Rec” click on “e-Sports League” for more information.

We currently have several adult sports including golf and pickleball with registration open. Registration is also open for co-ed softball, which we added this spring. Play will be on Thursday nights at Cofer and Fitzgerald Parks beginning in April. Visit us online at tuckerga.gov/parks to get full information and register your team.

Speaking of adult fun and games, don’t forget to register for our annual Adult Field Day on May 14 at Tucker Recreation Center. Fun, games, food and drink will be provided. This is another activity for which you can register and get more information on our website.

I want to let you know that we are working on several park projects. At Probst Park, the Memorial Plaza is under construction and we hope to have that completed by late April. We are installing new water and sewer lines at Fitzgerald Park and will have that completed in time for Baseball Opening Day.

As the weather gets better and everyone gets out and about, you’ll notice some improvements happened during the winter months. We were able to complete a new boardwalk and bridge at Probst Park, new sports field lighting on Henderson Park field number six next to the tennis courts and a sidewalk allowing safe access from the Livsey Road entrance to the parking lot in Henderson Park. We were also able to complete some improvements at Rosenfeld Park with a new sidewalk and defined parking and access to the tennis courts, pool, and very soon to be installed playground. Our Fit Court at the new greenspace on Church Street is ready and waiting for those wanting to get into spring shape.