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The City of Newark Parks & Recreation Department has a long history of providing the public with exceptional parks and services, with the goal of helping enhance the quality of life for children and families by providing a safe and fun environment for everyone to experience.
We oversee and maintain more than 20 parks and facilities and 11 miles of bike trails. From the beautiful grounds of Everett Park to the rustic charm of Horns Hill Park, we offer much to see and do – fishing, mountain biking, disc golf, skateboarding, hiking, walking, jogging, swimming, bike riding, and picnicking, among other activities. The Department also coordinates several events each year, including the T.J. Evans Youth Fishing Derby, Dale Miller Trout Derby, and the Mayor’s Concert Series, just to name a few.
The Newark Cemetery/Parks & Recreation Department is fortunate to have many citizens and groups that provide volunteer assistance each year. There are several different ways that they support our department, including planting flowers, picking up litter in the parks, bike trails, and along the highways, spreading mulch around playground equipment, assisting with clearing brush and debris, or simply notifying us of any issues that may need attention by our staff.
The volunteer program has been very successful through the years, and those who participate truly make a huge difference in the appearance of our City.
T.J. Evans Family Park fishing permits are now available online. Follow the link below to purchase.
A few reminders before purchasing:
Park is closed from dusk to dawn.
Permit is valid for T.J. Evans Family Park only.
Permits valid March 1st – December 1st. A new permit must be purchased annually.
Park is closed December 1st – March 1st.
Children 17 & under are NOT required to purchase a permit.
Adults 18 – 64 must purchase a T.J. Evans Family Park fishing permit annually.
Seniors 65 and older purchase lifetime permits. After a one-time purchase, seniors will not have to purchase a new permit annually.
All fisherman must be able to provide their permit or their permit receipt.
Permits are available for in-person purchase at the Parks/Cemetery Department office. The office is located at 275 N Cedar St. Office hours are Monday-Friday 8 AM – 12 PM, 1 PM – 4PM.
The City of Newark Parks Department will be hosting the annual T.J. Evans Catfish Derby on Friday, August 25th at T.J. Evans Family Park.
The derby is open to all ages. Registration begins at 8:30pm. Fishing starts at 9pm following a brief introduction at shelter house #3. All catfish caught will be brought for weigh-in as they are caught. Weigh-in stops at 11:45pm and awards will begin around 12am. First through third place medals will be awarded based on the total weight of catfish caught. Door prizes will be raffled off throughout the event.
T.J. Evans Family Park fishing permits are required for participation. Adult fishing permits are $5 and youth fishing permits (17 & under) are free. Fishing permits can be purchased at the Cedar Hill Cemetery office, Monday through Friday from 8am-4:30pm. Fishing permits will also be sold at T.J. Evans Family Park during registration. All T.J. Evans Family Park rules apply.
T.J. Evans Family Park will be closed on August 23rd and 24th and will reopen for the event on August 25th at 8:30pm.
For any questions, call (740)-670-7775.
The City of Newark Parks Department will be hosting the 2nd annual T.J. Evans Youth Fishing Derby on July 8th at T.J. Evans Family Park.
The derby is open to youth aged 15 and under. Registration is free. You can register online at or at the event beginning at 7:30am. Fishing starts at 8am following a brief introduction at shelter house #3. All fish caught (any species) will be brought for weigh-in as they are caught. Weigh-in stops at 10:45am and awards will begin around 11am. First through third place trophies will be awarded based on total weight of fish caught. Door prizes will be raffled off throughout the event. Donuts and drinks will be provided.
T.J. Evans Family Park fishing permits are NOT required for participation. However, all T.J. Evans Family Park rules apply.
T.J. Evans Family Park will be closed July 6th and 7th and will reopen for the event on July 8th at 7:30am.
For any questions, call (740)-670-7782.
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Honor your active duty or veteran service member with a banner displayed on a light pole in our beautiful city of Downtown Newark. These beautiful banners will showcase our community support for those who have taken the oath to provide us the blanket of freedom, with which we sleep. Keep the tradition of rich military history alive in Licking County and honor your Hometown Hero. Due to the high demand of the HHLC Banner Program and limited space, banners will be hung for the 4th of July holiday for one year, then returned to the owner at that time. The deadline for application submission is May 15. For more information on the application process, call 740-670-7775.
The Veterans Walk of Honor is located in Veterans Park at North 6th Street between West Main and West Church Streets. It lines the path in front of the Buckingham House, home to the Licking County Historical Society, along with the Sherwood-Davidson House, and the Heisey Glass Museum. The Veterans Walk of Honor is a beautiful walkway that serves as a reminder of those individuals who have given of themselves and answered the call of duty so that we might continue to enjoy the freedoms with which we are blessed. Engraved 4”x 8” bricks honor those brave individuals who are serving, or have served our country. All proceeds from the sale of the bricks go towards maintenance of Veterans Park. Orders placed by April 15th are installed for Memorial Day. Orders placed by September 30th are installed for Veterans Day. The Cost is $ 50 each.
For further information, please call 740-670-7775.
Newark Skatepark is located at Everett Park, 170 Everett Ave Newark, OH. All wheels are welcome including skateboards, BMX bikes, scooters, in-line skates, roller skates, and wheelchairs. The park hours are Dawn to 10 p.m. Please note the sports lighting on the skatepark turns off automatically at 10:00 p.m. EST. Also located at the park is a playground, dog park, community garden, picnic pavilion, practice baseball fields, and disc golf.
Don Edwards Park is a five-field baseball complex located in Newark, Ohio, built originally as one field in 1963 by Don “Gramps” Edwards. The facility has served as the host of multiple leagues, tournaments, and events through the years. As our community has grown the ballpark has grown to serve the needs of the youth of our area.
Our ballpark became the host site of the Babe Ruth World Series in August of 1977. The first game hosted for that series was between New Orleans, Louisiana and Arroyo Grande, California. Between the years of 1977 and 2010 we would be the host site of Babe Ruth World Series nine times.
