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Parks & Recreation Department
Get active...enjoy life!
Check out the Recreation, Special Events page for event information. Contact Parks and Recreation by visiting our Staff Directory.
The City of Lakeland Parks and Recreation Department is committed to providing quality, recreational programming at the highest value to City residents. The department continues to build new partnerships that allow the City to provide a range of programming from family/children’s activities (Easter Egg Hunt, etc) to programs at the Lakeland Senior Center.
Lakeland’s low development and natural terrain fosters a sense of country living that is rapidly disappearing in other Shelby County communities. A number of lakes, ponds, streams, parks (including playgrounds, soccer fields, and tennis courts), and other recreational opportunities improve the quality of life for our residents, including a 65-acre IH Managerial Park with open space, walking/hiking trails (PDF), a lake for fishing, and "The LAMP" Amphitheater.
Here are two mountain biking videos from IH Park: YouTube video 1 and video 2.
Lakeland, a designated Tree City USA, has a quality of life that can’t be beat.
More information can be found at the Tree City Award, Arbor Day and Memorial Tree Program page.
Sports & Recreation
The City of Lakeland offers both youth and adult sports and recreational activities.
Sports/league sign-ups: Legacy Site (Blue Sombrero) New Site (CivicRec)
Lakeland Parks and Recreation on Facebook:
Full Parks and Recreation Staff Directory
Special Events & Camps
The Lakeland Parks and Recreation Department sponsors several family-friendly events such as the Easter Egg Hunt, Children’s Fishing Rodeo, Lakeland Outdoors, and Halloween and Christmas Festivals.
Information on art and science day camps posted on the Recreation, Special Events page, when available.
Nearby Recreation & More
Horseback riding and boarding
Exercise, paintball, Stonebridge Golf (plus mini golf at Vantage Point)
Sponsorship Opportunities
If you’re interested in becoming a sponsor for the City of Lakeland’s Parks and Recreation Programs and Special Events, please visit the Lakeland Parks and Recreation Sponsorship Club website for a sponsorship packet.
Programming includes Youth Flag and Tackle Football, Youth Cheerleading, Basketball, Baseball, and Soccer; Adult Flag Football, Basketball, and Softball, plus special events. It’s a great opportunity to support your community.
Volunteers Needed!
If you are interested in volunteering for Lakeland recreation programs (youth programs, the Senior Center, etc.) on a one-time, periodic, or weekly basis, please contact the Parks and Recreation staff. Volunteering is a way to have fun and help our community!
Thank-You for Your Service!
Special thanks to the Cub Scout packs that have volunteered their time to pick-up litter along trails in I.H. Park! More on the I.H. Park Trail Cleanup page.
AHS Student Honors Brown-Kuehl Families
with Work at Zadie Kuehl Park
Lakeland Currents story (September 2017)
Lost & Found
Just a reminder, City Hall has a "Lost and Found." Please call 901-867-2717 if you have lost something in our parks or facilities.
Please Clean-Up After Your Pet
There is a pet waste clean-up station at the front of I.H. Park, for example. Information on how pet waste affects the City is on the Pet/Animal Waste and Stormwater page (stormwater, etc).
Lakeland Parks & Recreation Program Re-Certified by the State of Tennessee
In 2013, Lakeland Parks and Recreation Program Tier I Benchmarking Status was successfully renewed by the Tennessee Parks and Recreation Benchmarking Program.
The program recognizes the ongoing achievements in recreation/leisure services by demonstrating compliance among a range of performance standards for municipal parks and recreation services.
The Tier I Benchmarked status allows the City of Lakeland to streamline grant applications as well as earn additional points during the scoring of grant proposals. The re-certification is in effect for five years until June 2018.
Master Plan and Fees
Lakeland’s Recreation Master Plan (PDF) (90 pages, approved May 2009)
Lakeland’s Parks and Recreation Plan (PDF) (adopted March 20, 2006)
Proposed Athletic Complex Plans
Fee Schedule (PDF) covers permit fees, development fees, facility usage fees, etc.
Questions, suggestions, or comments about our programs?
Contact Parks and Recreation staff
Parks and Recreation/Natural Resources Board meetings are open to the public.
Parks and Recreation general email box