Springfield Parks, Greenways, and Outdoor Spaces
4/29/16

Tonight we visited four parks/facilities in east central Springfield, all that we have been to previously.

#84. Glenwood Park  451 N. Cedarbrook
This 8 acre park is just north of Chestnut Expy in east Springfield and we have been here a few times years ago. There are tennis and basketball courts, a baseball field, and a playground. There is also a large water retention basin. We walked around for about 10 minutes and went 1/3 mile.

#85. Cooper Park 2300-2700 E. Pythian
This 127 acre park/sports complex is in east central Springfield and we have been to all the facilities here before. There are multiple outdoor baseball and soccer fields, and tennis courts. There is a 1 1/2 mile track and a playground and picnic tables/benches. The website mentions a physical fitness course that we didn't see but we didn't walk all around the track. This is the site of Cooper Tennis Complex with indoor tennis courts and the professional level outdoor tennis court. Lakes Country Soccer complex is across the street with more outdoor soccer fields and the Soccer Dome. We walked about 3/4 mile in 15 minutes.
4/30/16 update: We stopped back by today and walked the rest of the trail. There isn't anything here that I would describe as a "physical fitness course," just a walking/jogging path. I guess the "physical fitness" part comes when one dashes around the park looking for it!!

#86. Cooper Tennis Complex 2331 E Pythian
This is home of Mediacom Stadium where the Springfield Lasers professional tennis team plays. There are also multiple indoor and outdoor tennis courts. According to the website, memberships are available for the facility and there are lessons and adult and youth programs. We attended a Lasers match several years ago and there were several people playing tonight despite the drizzle and cool temperatures.
5/7/16 update: We went back today, went inside the facility and looked around for a few minutes at both the inside courts, the professional outdoor court, and the numerous other outdoor courts. We had been to a Laser match but had  never been inside the building before.

#87. Killian Sports Complex 2151 E. Pythian
This complex hosts the park board's adult softball leagues and also has the stadium where the MSU Bears softball teams play. We have been here many times for Charlie's softball games and company picnics. The Springfield Softball Hall of Fame Museum is located here but it was closed.

Lakes Country Soccer 2334 E. Pythian and N. Cedarbrook
Lake Country Soccer operates under the umbrella of the Springfield/Greene County Parks and Recreation Department.  The relationship is a public/private partnership with the parks department, meaning the land is owned by the parks department, but Lake Country Soccer leases the land from the parks department. We had been to the fields on Patterson before but didn't know there was a LCS east complex. There are four soccer fields on Cedarbrook Ave.north of Pythian and we drove over here and looked around briefly

Tonight we spent about an hour visiting four facilities in east central Springfield plus the Lakes Country soccer fields, all places we had been before. Now we have just 15 facilities left to visit.