Bloomington Parks & Recreation is nudging residents to look past summer and start planning for fall and winter, pointing to its year-round menu of skating lessons, trail time, naturalist programs and adult sports leagues.
The city runs 97 parks and green spaces, plus miles of trails, giving residents plenty of room to walk, bike or just get outside without leaving town. The Bloomington Ice Garden's BIG Skate School offers skating lessons on a year-round basis, not just once the lakes freeze.
Adults looking for something more organized can find leagues at various skill levels through the year.
Older residents aren't left out. Programs for adults age 50 and up run out of Creekside Community Center, aimed at keeping that group and adults with disabilities engaged in the community.
There's a cultural angle too — the city points to performances at the Bloomington Center for the Arts and a winter market as part of the broader push to get residents out of the house once the temperature drops.
Registration for programs runs through the city's WebTrac portal, and the parks department is directing questions to its office by phone or email.