OCALA, Fla. (June 30, 2021) – July is National Parks and Recreation month and the Ocala Recreation and Parks Department is celebrating how Ocala is a more vibrant and resilient community because of recreation and parks.  A variety of activities are planned for residents of all ages and abilities, including the Wildlife Rescue Mystery Hunt, Programs in the Parks presents Owls & Bats, Meet Your Neighbor the Bee, and Lunch with the Archaeologist, just to name a few.

Throughout the month of July, citizens are encouraged to participate in the Wildlife Rescue Mystery Hunt game. This free game of deduction will be in select City of Ocala parks and involves finding hidden signs along the walking trails and solving the mystery of the wildlife rescue. Three randomly selected people will receive for a prize package for correctly submitted answers. For more information on how and where to play, visit www.ocalafl.org/mystery.

“We have a great, hard-working team at Ocala Recreation and Parks,” says Preston Pooser, director of Ocala Recreation and Parks. “This month is intended to celebrate their hard work and dedication in making Ocala a great place to live, play and prosper.”  

Parks and Recreation month is an initiative of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). NRPA’s #OurParkAndRecStory campaign encourages people that support parks and recreation to share their parks and recreation stories, as well as why their local park and recreation professionals are important to them, with hashtags #OurParkAndRecStory and #OcalaRecPark.

To learn more about Park and Recreation Month, visit www.ocalafl.org/recpark and www.nrpa.org/July.