Roswell Parks and Facilities Offer Plenty of Ways to Stay Active
Youth sports infrastructure supports all ages, abilities and athletic interests in this New Mexico region.
Roswell, NM, loves sports and the city has 28 parks, with facilities and fitness programs to support any age or athletic ability. In 2019, the city replaced an older rec center and pool with the $20 million Roswell Recreation & Aquatic Center.
The state-of-the-art facility features indoor basketball and volleyball courts, exercise machines, and weights and fitness classes. There’s also an indoor eight-lane swimming pool and a seasonal outdoor pool with slides, a splash area and shaded picnic areas.
“Parks are necessary for the quality of life of citizens of all ages,” says Louis Najar, city engineer for Roswell. “My favorite park is the Cielo Grande Recreational Complex. My grandkids like the alien-themed playground equipment, and they bring their bicycles while I walk the exactly 1-mile-long trail. It’s fun and fitness for us all.”
Roswell Parks Deliver Inclusive Recreation
Cielo Grande is a large park with soccer and football fields, a skate park, and picnic areas connected by paved walking and cycling trails. It’s also the site of a brand-new, all-inclusive park, designed with every child in mind, including kids with disabilities.
“The idea of an inclusive park was brought up by parents of autistic children to the City of Roswell,” Najar says. “An inclusive park is good for any community.”
The park includes swings that fit wheelchairs, a water feature specially designed to not overstimulate and a sensory garden.
Virginia Park opened in 2023, too. It includes playground equipment, a basketball court, and practice fields for soccer, baseball and softball.
Sports and Education
Not surprisingly, Roswell has a strong youth sports league where girls and boys get exercise while learning the basics of soccer, volleyball and basketball. Roswell’s high schools have successful sports programs, winning many state championships over the years.
“The grassroots are a community youth sports program,” Najar says. “I can speak from personal knowledge that my grandkids played in the city sports programs and the fundamental skills, sportsmanship and competition led to an expanded interest in high school. I have grandkids who were state champions in more than one sport.”
Roswell Parks & Recreation also runs summer educational camps that cover a range of subjects, from space to arts and crafts to junior lifeguard where participants receive CPR and first aid certification.
Spring River Zoo offers camps such as Predator/ Prey and Camouflage.
With a broad selection of programs and courses, young residents have many choices in Roswell’s diverse collection of public green spaces and facilities.
Get to Know Roswell and Chaves County
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