Top Seven Signs Your Holiday Tree Has Been Up Too Long
Holiday Hours
Find Stocking Stuffers
Good Fun for a Good Cause
School’s Out – Why Not Camp Out?
Take a (Winter) Break
Open Season
The Holiday Magic Continues
Dashing Warriors
Find Family Fun
It’s a “Jungle” Out There
Star Light, Star Bright
Listening To Learn
History Comes Alive
Walks on the Wild Side
Go Fish
Quote of the Month
Advisory Board Notice
Special Attractions
Mission Statement
Your Opinion Counts!
SWIM Central
Broward County Board of County Commissioners
1. You’ve taken to using it as a coat rack.
2. The bird that got into your house stayed – and nested.
3. Visitors ask how you’ll be decorating it for the spring holiday.
4. It’s sprouted roots and started growing again.
5. Squirrels gather at your window and look in longingly at it.
6. You can no longer see the carpet through the layers of dried needles.
7. You’ve decided just to go ahead and leave it up for next year.
Is there anything sadder than a holiday tree that’s still standing around in someone’s living room well into the new year? If the holidays are long gone but your tree isn’t, it’s time to chip in and donate your used evergreen to our annual Chip-a-Tree initiative. Last year Broward County Parks recycled more than 9,000 trees, representing more than a hundred tons of material that would otherwise have gone to landfills, and this year your tree can join those recyclable thousands.
The free program encourages Broward County residents to remove all decorations from their holiday trees (no decorated trees will be accepted), then bring the trees to a participating park, where they are chipped and used for landscaping throughout the county park system. There is a limit of two trees per vehicle, artificial trees are not accepted, and no commercial vehicles or garbage trucks are allowed.
This season’s program runs from Monday, December 26, 2011, through Sunday, January 22, 2012, giving you plenty of time to take advantage of those after-the-holidays sales before hauling your tree to a park. And remember, the regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee will not be in effect for recyclers, so there’s no excuse not to do the right thing. Hours vary; call the park of your choice for details.
· Brian Piccolo Park, 9501 Sheridan St., Cooper City 33024; 954-357-5150
· C. B. Smith Park, 900 N. Flamingo Rd., Pembroke Pines 33028; 954-357-5170
· Easterlin Park, 1000 N.W. 38th St., Oakland Park 33309; 954-357-5190
· Fern Forest Nature Center, 201 Lyons Rd. South, Coconut Creek 33063; 954-357-5198
· Markham Park, 16001 W. State Rd. 84, Sunrise 33326; 954-357-8868
· Plantation Heritage Park, 1100 S. Fig Tree Lane, Plantation 33317; 954-357-5135
· Quiet Waters Park, 401 S. Powerline Rd., Deerfield Beach 33441; 954-357-5100
· Reverend Samuel Delevoe Park, 2520 N.W. Sixth St., Fort Lauderdale 33311; 954-791-1036
· Snake Warrior's Island, 3600 S.W. 62nd Ave., Miramar 33023; 954-357-5161
· Tradewinds Park, 3600 W. Sample Rd., Coconut Creek 33073; 954-357-8870
· Tree Tops Park, 3900 S.W. 100th Ave., Davie 33328; 954-357-5130
· T.Y. Park, 3300 N. Park Rd., Hollywood 33021; 954-357-8811
· Vista View Park, 4001 S.W. 142 Ave., Davie 33330; 954-257-8898
· West Lake Park, 751 Sheridan St., Hollywood 33019; 954-357-5161
All Broward County regional parks and nature centers, neighborhood parks, and natural areas will be open their regular hours on Saturdays, December 24 and 31, and Sunday, January 1 (New Year’s Day); the parks’ regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee of $1.50 per person (children 5 and under free) will be in effect. All parks, nature centers, and natural areas will be closed on Christmas Day, Sunday, December 25.
Looking for that perfect, affordable gift this holiday season? Purchase our Family Parks Passports and/or Find It All Multipurpose Cards for fun, affordable gifts.
· Family Parks Passport – $60
· Find It All Multipurpose Card – starting at $25
With a Family Parks Passport in hand, you never have to worry about paying the $1.50/person gate entrance fee (children 5 and under free) that’s in effect on weekends and county holidays at most of our regional parks; the credit card-style passports cover up to six people per vehicle and are good for one year from the date of purchase. New this season is the Find It All Multipurpose Card, which replaces the Individual Parks Passport. It can be used to cover the $1.50/person fee; admission into other attractions can be added onto the card as well.
Or pick up one of our series of Nature Posters, featuring the flora and fauna of our County parks. Framed or unframed, they make great gifts for home or office. The posters measure 18 inches by 24 inches and cost $10. They’re available at Anne Kolb, Fern Forest, and Long Key nature centers; at Markham, Plantation Heritage, Tree Tops, and T.Y. parks; and at the Cultural Information Center in the Broward County Main Library.
Family Parks Passports, Find It All Multipurpose Cards, and the posters are also now available through our Parks Market Online Store.
For the past 24 years a lot of enterprising motorcycle enthusiasts – as in more than 30,000 from all over the country – have gotten together and staged a 20-plus-mile cross-county journey to raise money and toys for underprivileged children. This year’s Toys in the Sun Run will be held on Sunday, December 11, when the bighearted bikers will travel from a new starting point, the Mardi Gras Casino in Hallandale Beach (831 N. Federal Hwy.), to Markham Park in Sunrise. At the end of their trek will be live entertainment, more than a hundred vendors selling a wide variety of merchandise, and an international food court, as well as a classic bike show. (No pets, coolers, or outside food and drinks permitted.)
The park opens at 8 a.m., and an early arrival is recommended, as the cyclists’ route will be closed to traffic once their excursion is under way. The live music gets going at 11 a.m. Admission is $10/person plus an unwrapped toy (no stuffed animals, please); if you show up without a toy, expect to pay $20/person. The park’s regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee of $1.50/person (children 5 and under free) will also be in effect.
To get an idea of how much this fundraiser has grown over the years, consider that when it was started by Wings of Gold Motorcycle Club president Bob Amchir back in 1987, about 700 motorcycles participated, and the event netted $965 in cash and a little more than 500 toys. These days the run typically raises more than half a million dollars and collects more than 50,000 toys.
For more information, call 954-343-8782, or visit www.toysinthesunrun.com.
When school lets out for winter break this season, consider a mini-vacation at the Rent-a-Tent campground at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, which will offer a School’s Out – Camp Out! Special on Mondays through Thursdays, December 19-22 and 26-29. The special discount rate during these four-day periods will be $17.50/campsite per night. The rate is good for up to four campers per site, and up to two more campers can stay for $3/night each. You can even bring along up to two pets at $1/night each.
The campground features 25 sites with platform tents already set up, and there are also two tepee sites. Each sites comes with electricity, running water, a fire ring, a picnic table, and a grill. Restroom/shower facilities are located throughout the campground.
For more information, call the park at 954-357-5100. Quiet Waters is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #14 and #48.
If you have a horse-obsessed youngster aged 9 to 16 and you can’t afford the gift of a pony, why not do the next best thing and sign him or her up for Winter Break Equestrian Day Camp at the Tradewinds Park Stables in Coconut Creek. The camp is offered from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, December 19-22 and 26-29. Students will receive comprehensive instruction in such areas as horse grooming, routine horse care and maintenance, appropriate use and care of tack and equipment, nutrition and feeding, and anatomy of the horse. Riding instruction is also included.
The fee is $75/day, with a sibling discount of $50/day available. Registration is ongoing at the park office daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call the stables at 954-357-8722. Tradewinds is accessible via Broward County Transit Route #34.
Two Broward County parks are among the venues for the 2011 U.S. Cricket Open, which runs from Thursday, December 1 through Sunday, December 4. The opening ceremonies will be from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. on Thursday at Central Broward Regional Park & Stadium (which also hosted the premier event in 2009), followed by matches throughout the rest of the day and evening (10 a.m.-1 p.m., 1:30-4:30 p.m., and 5-8 p.m.). There will also be morning (9:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m.) and afternoon (1:15-4:15 p.m.) matches that same day at Brian Piccolo Park in Cooper City.
The same match schedule repeats at both parks on Friday and Saturday. The event wraps up at Central Broward Regional on Sunday with semifinal matches (10 a.m.-1 p.m.), a half-time musical festival (1-2 p.m.), and the championship trophy presentation (5-5:30 p.m.), which comes with a $25,000 check for the winner.
All matches are played in the new T20 cricket format, which emphasizes speed, power, and strategy. Each match is played in less than three hours, a format more in keeping with what football and baseball fans are accustomed to than traditional cricket matches, which can last for days. A record 32 teams, up from 16 last year, will compete.
For more information, call the park at 954-357-5400 or Cricket Council USA at 561-392-4800, or visit www.cricketcouncilusa.com. The parks’ regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee of $1.50/person (children 5 and under free) will be in effect for spectators. Central Broward Regional is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #18, #36, #40, and #81.
Make Holiday Fantasy of Lights part of your holiday traditions. The drive-through light show continues at Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek under the management of Brandano Displays. The event runs through Monday, January 2 and is open nightly from 6 to 10 p.m.
Admission is $10 per vehicle on Mondays through Wednesdays and $13 per vehicle on Thursdays through Sundays. Buses with 15+ passengers pay $35.
For more information, call the hotline at 954-623-6556, or visit www.holidaylightsdrivethru.com.
It’s too late to register to participate in the Warrior Dash, but spectators are welcome at the starting and ending points of this extreme-sports event at Quiet Waters Park on Saturday, December 3. Waves of up to 500 participants will start the grueling three-plus-mile course at half-hour intervals from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Spectators are admitted free, although there is a $10/car parking fee, and the park’s regular weekend and holiday gate entrance fee of $1.50/person (children 5 and under free) will be in effect. For more information, visit www.warriordash.com.
Now that the evenings are finally cooling off a bit, what better time for an old-fashioned hayride and campfire, complete with a marshmallow roast? There are two this month, at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach and T.Y. Park in Hollywood.
The Family Hayride and Campfire at T.Y. is on Friday, December 9 and runs from 6 to 9 p.m., at a cost of $3.50/person for one hayride and one bag of fixings to make s’ mores. Additional refreshments will be available for purchase. Reservations are available and are required for groups of 15 or more. For more information or to make reservations, call the park at 954-357-8811.
Another event, this one at Quiet Waters, will be on Friday, December 16, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. It, too, costs $3.50/person, which includes the ingredients you’ll need to make your own s’ mores. Recent events have proved so popular that advance tickets are required, either by visiting the park office or calling 954-357-5100.
Quiet Waters is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #14 and #48. T.Y. is accessible via Routes #3, #12, and #17.
If you’ve never been to the Highlands Scrub Natural Area in Pompano Beach, you’re missing out on one of Broward County’s last substantial remaining sand pine scrub communities, an approximately 34-acre site once known informally as “the Jungle.” This rare type of community, unique to Florida, is one of the most imperiled in the state, with only two percent of such habitat remaining in the county. The “scrub” is home to many rare and endangered species of plants and animals, which survive in a habitat characterized by loose white sand with a canopy of sand pine and scrub oak and a subcanopy of saw palmetto, gopher apple, and prickly pear cactus.
You can visit the natural area on your own, of course, but we’d appreciate it even more if you chipped in to help when the site hosts a Public Workday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, December 17. Volunteers will clean up trash, plant native plants, and/or remove non-native invasive plants. Students can earn community service hours for graduation and college scholarships, and others can help improve and preserve this distinctive environment. Participants should dress appropriately with long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes that can get dirty. Gloves, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, and drinking water are also recommended. Extra tools such as shovels, rakes, and hand pruners are welcome.
Volunteers must fill out a form in order to participate. For more information, contact the workday coordinator at 954-410-0161. For more information on Highlands Scrub, call the North District Office at 954-357-8700. The natural area is accessible via Broward County Transit Route #50.
Just because there’s an overabundance of ambient nighttime light in Broward County doesn’t mean you can’t go stargazing. It just means that exploring the heavens is best done with the aid of telescopes. That’s where the South Florida Amateur Astronomers Association (SFAAA) comes in. On a quarterly basis, the nonprofit group hosts An Evening With the Stars at Fern Forest Nature Center in Coconut Creek. The next such program will be offered starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 16, and it’s free. Participants will get a glimpse of what’s going on in the South Florida sky this season, and speakers will cover basic telescope techniques and general astronomy information.
The SFAAA also opens the Fox Observatory at Markham Park in Sunrise every Saturday evening, weather permitting, from dusk to midnight.
For more information, call Fern Forest at 954-357-5198 or the SFAAA at 954-384-0442, or e-mail info@sfaaa.com. The nature center is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #31 and #42.
Three nature centers offer lectures this month. On Sunday, December 4, from noon to 1 p.m., Fern Forest Nature Center in Coconut Creek will host a Nature Lecture: Dangerous Plants, Animals, and Insects. The lecture will be followed by a question-and-answer session, and live animals will be used in the presentation, although the public will not be allowed to handle them. A $3/person donation to the Fern Allies volunteer group is requested for admission.
Then, on Friday, December 9, the Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood will present the latest installment in its Lunch-and-Learn Nature Series, from noon to 2 p.m. Photographer and naturalist Ron Magill of Zoo Miami will be the guest speaker, sharing his experiences with animal populations found off the coast of South America. Preregistration is required a week in advance of the program, which will include lunch. A $5/person donation to the Friends of Anne Kolb volunteer group is requested.
Finally, on Sunday, December 11, from 2 to 3 p.m., Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach will offer its third and final Propagation Class, with a focus on the topic of “Grafting.” The session, which costs $4/person, will feature hands-on instruction in techniques you can apply at home.
For more information, call Fern Forest at 954-357-5198, Anne Kolb at 954-357-5161, or Secret Woods at 954-357-8884. Fern Forest is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #31 and #42; Anne Kolb is accessible via Route #12; and Secret Woods is accessible via Route #6.
The 53.3 acres that make up Deerfield Island Park in Deerfield Beach are full of history. In the early 1930s, for instance, the land was labeled Capone Island after gangster Al Capone – even though Capone himself never actually owned it, and the area at that time was a peninsula, not an island.
Find out more about the county park system’s only true island park when it hosts an Intracoastal History Tour, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 18. The tour is $5/person, and a boat shuttle to the island is provided, although you must be at the dock at Sullivan Park by 9:30 a.m. to catch it.
Space is limited, and so preregistration is required and can be made by calling Quiet Waters Park at 954-357-5100. Deerfield Island is accessible via Broward County Transit Routes #48 and #50.
A variety of nature walks will keep you moving this month, starting with a Mangrove Adventure Hike, from 2 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, December 1 at the Anne Kolb Nature Center in Hollywood. (There’s another one on Wednesday, December 28.) This naturalist-led hike will take you along the mangrove-lined trails, where you’ll also encounter native wildlife. The cost is $3/person. For more information, call the nature center at 954-357-5161.
Next up is a Bird Walk, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 3, at Deerfield Island Park in Deerfield Beach. The volunteer-led program, for ages 6 and up, is $3/person, and preregistration is required by calling Quiet Waters Park at 954-357-5100. Participants must be at the dock at Sullivan Park by 8 a.m. to catch the boat shuttle to the island.
The following day, Sunday, December 4, Secret Woods Nature Center in Dania Beach will offer its final Off the Beaten Path hike this year, from noon to 2 p.m. Participants should be prepared to get wet as they explore the sloughs and back country of the nature center along the New River. Closed-toe shoes, drinking water, and a walking stick are required. The fee is $6/person. For more information, call Secret Woods at 954-357-8884.
The action shifts back to Anne Kolb on Sunday, December 11, where there will be a free Trail Stroll from 1 to 1:45 p.m. This guided introduction to the mangrove swamp takes place along a boardwalk.
Then it’s back to Secret Woods on Sunday, December 18, where participants will meet before heading off on a Slough Slog at Pond Apple Slough from 9:30 a.m. to noon. This strenuous back-country hike will take you to one of Broward’s last wild pond apple forests to look for rare wetland plants and animals. Again, closed-toe shoes, drinking water, and a walking stick are musts. The fee is $6/person.
Anne Kolb is accessible via Broward County Transit Route #12; Deerfield Island is accessible via Routes #48 and #50; and Secret Woods is accessible via Route #6.
Registration opens December 1 and continues through December 20 for the latest installment of the Junior Bass Tournament Trail, a four-tournament program that leads to a young fishing enthusiast being named Junior Bass Angler of the Year. The tournaments are on Sunday mornings, January 15 (Quiet Waters Park), February 19 (Tradewinds Park), March 18 (Tradewinds), and April 15 (Quiet Waters), with fishing starting at “first light” and going till 1 p.m. Trophies and prizes will be awarded at the end of each tournament, and the angler compiling the most points over the four events wins the title as well as a special prize package. Participants must be aged 12 to 17 and accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age. The $75 fee covers both participants and all four tournaments. Registration is required by mail (T.Y. Park, 3300 N. Park Rd., Hollywood, FL 33021, Attn: Bob Newland) or in person at T.Y. Park. For more information, contact Newland at 954-357-8816 or rnewland@broward.org.
Events Calendar
“…in order that a man may be happy, it is necessary that he should not only be capable of his work, but a good judge of his work.” – English critic John Ruskin (1819-1900))
The public is invited to the next meeting of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, which is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. on Friday, December 9. The meeting will take place at Central Broward Regional Park & Stadium, 3700 N.W. 11th Place, Lauderhill 33311; 954-357-5400. More information is available here.
Batting Cages (AllGolf at C.B. Smith Park) – Butterfly World (Tradewinds Park) – Cable Water-Skiing (Ski Rixen USA at Quiet Waters Park) – Campgrounds (C.B. Smith Park, Easterlin Park, Markham Park, Quiet Waters Park, T.Y. Park) – Dog Park (Barkham at Markham Park) – Educational Farm (Tradewinds Park) – Exhibit Halls (Anne Kolb Nature Center at West Lake Park, Fern Forest Nature Center, Long Key Natural Area & Nature Center, Secret Woods Nature Center) – Golf Facilities (AllGolf at C.B. Smith Park) – Multipurpose Athletic Fields (Brian Piccolo Park, Central Broward Regional Park & Stadium, Tradewinds Park) – Observatory (Markham Park) – Riding Stables (Tradewinds Park, Tree Tops Park) – Skate Park/Track (Brian Piccolo Park) – Target Range (Markham Park) – Tennis Centers (Brian Piccolo Park, C.B. Smith Park) – Velodrome (Brian Piccolo Park) – Water Playgrounds/ Waterslides/Swimming (C.B. Smith Park, Central Broward Regional Park & Stadium, Quiet Waters Park, T.Y. Park)
The Parks and Recreation Division is dedicated to providing a countywide park system with diverse facilities and recreation opportunities, along with natural area conservation and research-based educational outreach, to enhance the well-being of residents, businesses, and visitors.
We’d like to know what you think about our programs and facilities. Please take a moment to tell us how we’re doing by filling out this survey.
Broward County Commission's primary resource and referral service for available swim programs in cooperation with various cities and nonprofit organizations. Call 954-357-SWIM (7946).
Founded in February 1956 and accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies, Broward County Parks and Recreation manages nearly 6,500 acres, encompassing 18 regional parks and nature centers, six neighborhood parks, and 21 natural areas at various stages of development. Facilities include water parks, campgrounds, a target range, a stadium, a skate park, an observatory, mountain bike trails, an educational farm with stables, and a velodrome and other sports facilities. Hours and fees vary by location. For more information, visit www.broward.org/parks.
Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations in order to participate in County programs, services, and activities must contact the Special Populations Section at 954-357-8170 or TTY 954-537-2844 at least 10 business days prior to the scheduled meeting or event to request an accommodation.
Sue Gunzburger
Dale V.C. Holness
Kristin Jacobs
Chip LaMarca
Ilene Lieberman
Stacy Ritter
John E. Rodstrom Jr.
Barbara Sharief
Lois Wexler
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Parks and Recreation is a service of the Broward County Board of County Commissioners.