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, ice skating, 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.
The Outdoor Fitness Park was made possible by a community partnership between the City of Newark, the Patricia R, and Herbert J Murphy Foundation, and the Licking County Foundation. It is the vision of Herb Murphy who was inspired to create a free fitness venue, accessible to all citizens, including those with mobility limitations.
The Outdoor Fitness Park is located off Sharon Valley Road, by Rotary Park, next to the Ohio State University and Central Ohio Technical College campus.
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.