Indoor Pool to re-open Monday
The Oak Ridge Outdoor Pool will closed for the season on Monday, August 12, and the Indoor Pool will re-open Monday, July 29, after being closed for a few months for renovations.
The last day the Outdoor Pool will be open is Sunday, August 11, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for open swim, the City of Oak Ridge said in a press release.
The Puppy Pool Party, marking the official end of the season, is set for Saturday, August 17, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
[Read more…]Bring your human-powered watercraft and explore the history of life on the Clinch River on Saturday.
“On a quiet bend of Melton Hill Lake sits the oldest surviving structure in Oak Ridge, the Freels Bend Cabin dating back to 1810,” the National Park Service said. “On a 1.5-mile roundtrip paddle from Guinn Park, explore the history of the Clinch River Valley leading up to the Manhattan Project.”
Note: This is a paddle program on Melton Hill Lake. Freels Bend Cabin is on U.S. Department of Energy property, and no landings will be permitted.
The trip is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 22. To participate, please bring your own self-propelled watercraft. No boats are provided by the NPS.
[Read more…]The Oak Ridge Recreation and Parks Department and Explore Oak Ridge are teaming up to host the first-ever Oak Ridge Outdoor Festival on Saturday.
The free event will be a day of fun activities at Oak Ridge parks, including disc golf, pickleball, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking and plein-air art, a press release said.
The festival is set for Saturday, June 22, from 9 a.m. to noon. There will be two sessions offered, so attendees could participate in two sessions. The first is from 9 to 10:15 a.m. and the second is from 10:45 a.m. to noon.
[Read more…]The Clinch River Chapter of Trout Unlimited will have a Kids Fish Free Day on the Clinch River in Norris on Saturday, June 8.
It’s open to all children ages 3-16, and admission is free, a press release said. Registration is necessary so that organizers can plan for food. Visit the Chapter’s website http://crctu.org/ and scroll down on the home page to the KFFD registration form.
Children will be fishing, tying flies, riding in boats, eating hot dogs, and signing up for door prizes from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 8. The event will be at the Miller Island boat access on the Clinch River in Norris. [Read more…]
More than 40 youth rowing teams from 20 different states are in Oak Ridge to compete in the Dogwood Junior Championship Regatta.
The regatta is Saturday, April 27, and Sunday, April 28. It’s hosted by the Oak Ridge Rowing Association.
“These young athletes, ages 14 to 19, represent some of the best programs in the nation,” a press release said. “They’ll travel from multiple regions—as far away as Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Virginia, and South Florida—to compete at one of America’s favorite rowing venues.”
ORRA’s Dogwood Junior Championship Regatta is the premier competitive opportunity for many teams, as they prepare for USRowing’s regional and national championships, the press release said. This year, the annual event features 1,100 athletes and more than 650 entries, from the single person scull to the coxed 8+. Racing began with time trials at 7:45 a.m. Saturday. Semi-finals are held on Saturday afternoon, and finals on Sunday over the 2000-meter course.
[Read more…]
The annual championship regatta for the Southeastern Intercollegiate Rowing Association is in Oak Ridge on Saturday and Sunday.
SIRA has been racing on Melton Hill Lake in east Oak Ridge for more than 40 years. They have been a partner of the Oak Ridge Rowing Association longer than anyone, the ORRA said.
“The SIRA regatta marks the end of year regatta for some teams, a prep for Nationals for others, and a qualification for the IRA for some,” the ORRA said. “Expect great racing from the best Southeast intercollegiate teams and select others from around the U.S.”
Here are upcoming regattas, with a list shared by Explore Oak Ridge:
[Read more…]Turkey hunts in Oak Ridge in April will affect some greenways.
The spring turkey quota hunts in the Oak Ridge Wildlife Management Area are being held by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency with help from the U.S. Department of Energy, City of Oak Ridge, Tennessee Valley Authority, and University of Tennessee. Hunters must have the appropriate TWRA hunt license and a valid quota hunt permit issued by TWRA.
“Designated hunting areas are closed to the public during scouting and hunting periods,” a press release said.
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Melton Hill Reservoir will be temporarily lowered two to four feet between March 24 and April 3 to allow property owners to perform annual spring cleaning and dock maintenance.
The Tennessee Valley Authority will hold the reservoir between 790 and 792 feet for about 12 days beginning Sunday, March 24, a press release said. Melton Hill will be returned to its normal winter elevation by April 4.
“Please note that drawdown targets and dates could change due to potential rainfall, so residents are asked to remain flexible,” the press release said.
[Read more…]Team registration for the City of Oak Ridge Department of Recreation and Parks’ 2024 Spring Softball and Spring Outdoor 3×3 basketball season is now under way.
For softball, a Men’s League will be offered on Monday evenings with a possibility of Thursday makeup games. A recreational and a competitive coed league will be offered on Tuesday evenings with possibilities of Thursday make up games.
For basketball, an 18+ Open League will be offered on Wednesday evenings with a possibility of Thursday makeup games.
[Read more…]
The University of Tennessee Arboretum Society will have a Third Saturday hike on Saturday, February 17.
The free, guided mid-winter hike is open to everyone. It will start at 9 a.m. February 17 at the 260-acre UT Arboretum at 901 South Illinois Avenue in Oak Ridge.
“Enjoy the forests and trails in this lovely, wooded setting,” a press release said. “Newcomers as well as previous participants are invited to join the hike. The hikes have been a staple of the UT Arboretum and UT Arboretum Society for over 15 years. This is a great opportunity to ‘walk off’ the holiday celebrations and get outside for some fresh air and exercise.”
[Read more…]Minor traffic delays are possible Saturday morning in Oak Ridge during the Secret City Half Marathon and 5K.
Race Director Hannah Fatheree expects nearly 1,000 runners and walkers on city streets and greenways during the family-friendly events.
“Motorists should also be aware of the early morning course preparations,” a press release said. “While the races start at 9 a.m., there will be volunteers setting out cones along the course as early as 6 a.m. The Oak Ridge Police Department will be out in force directing and stopping traffic where and when needed. While no roads will be shut down due to the race traffic, motorists should expect some minor delays due to runners crossing streets on Melton Lake Drive and Emory Valley Road. Motorists are asked to take it slow in these areas and be mindful of the race participants.”
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You can learn about settlements in the area before Oak Ridge was built during World War II during a hike with a national park ranger on Saturday, November 25.
The hike is organized by the National Park Service. Oak Ridge is part of the Manhattan Project National Historical Park, which commemorates the top-secret federal program to build the world’s first atomic bombs during the second world war. Besides Oak Ridge, the national park includes Hanford, Washington, and Los Alamos, New Mexico.
The hike on the North Boundary Greenway is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Saturday, November 25, at the east quarry trail head.
[Read more…]