FAYETTEVILLE-CUMBERLAND PARKS & RECREATION DEPARTMENT

Fayetteville city parks contain over 1,100 acres. From regional parks to small neighborhood play areas, the city develops and maintains a wide variety of recreational facilities. One of the city residents' favorites is Rowan Park, the site of many concerts and large gatherings. It boasts a bandstand situated in a natural amphitheater, an ideal location for music festivals. Another highly visited park is Mazarick; with picnic shelters, playgrounds, tennis courts, softball fields and a pier for lake fishing. To learn more about the various parks and recreation centers in and around Fayetteville, visit www.cityoffayetteville.org/.

Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks & Recreation Department offers a wide variety of leisure activities, programs and facilities. The department serves the county's unincorporated area with a diverse population and programs activities for all ages. These include youth and adult athletics, youth sports lessons, recreational classes for youth and adult, youth summer program, youth cheerleading program, and an organized Senior Citizen program. The Parks and Recreation Department's Administrative Offices are located at Arnette Park, 2165 Wilmington Highway, 1 mile off Martin Luther King Expressway (Highway 87) exit 100 or visit www.co.cumberland.nc.us/ to learn more.

FAYETTEVILLE CITY PARKS & RECREATION CENTERS

FAYETTEVILLE REGIONAL PARKS

FAYETTEVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS

CUMBERLAND COUNTYPARKS & RECREATION CENTERS

CUMBERLAND COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION CENTERS

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FACILITIES

GOLF COURSES

OTHER ATHLETIC FACILIITES

Douglas Byrd Complex
Located behind the Douglas Byrd Schools, this 40-acre complex is the site of a variety of youth sports and community use. Five baseball fields and four multi-purpose fields offer the opportunity for plenty of fun. The multi-purpose fields are used for youth soccer and practice sites for soccer and football. A concession stand/restroom facility is available. A walking path around the park makes this a terrific place to exercise.

Veterans Park Softball Complex
This outstanding athletic facility is the site of many tournaments as well as league play in the spring and fall. Three well-maintained fields attract tournament organizers from across the state. There is a concession stand with restrooms, a picnic shelter and playground that make Veterans Park a wonderful place to spend the day or evening while catching some great softball action.

Westover/Ponderosa Athletic Complex
The Westover Schools and Ponderosa Elementary School are adjoining facilities with athletic sites built, maintained, or improved by Parks & Recreation for use by both the schools and the community. Youth baseball fields, concession stand and playground are located behind Ponderosa. The tennis courts, open spaces, gymnasiums, outdoor basketball courts and fitness room are open to the community during non-school hours.

These facilities are scheduled and monitored by city staff for use by residents.

In addition to these, several schools have athletic facilities open for use by the public:

• E.E. Smith High School
• Nick Jeralds Middle School
• Reid Ross Classical School
• Terry Sanford High School

• Max Abbott Middle School
• Seventy-First High School
• Anne Chesnutt Middle School
• Alger B. Wilkins Elementary School

Professional Sports

Fayetteville enjoys four local professional sports teams that play at the Crown Arena as well as two regional professional teams.

National Indoor Football League - Fayetteville Guard
In 2001, 18 franchises spanning across the US joined together to form the National Indoor Football League (NIFL). Since that time Fayetteville has introduced the Fayetteville Guard. The Fayetteville Guard plays at the Crown Coliseum on a 50-yard artificial turf field with padded walls and goal posts that are 9 feet wide. For more information on the Fayetteville Guard, go to www.fayettevillefootball.com/.

Fayetteville SwampDogs
Fayetteville is home to the Fayetteville SwampDogs of the Coastal Plain League. The SwampDogs play at J.P. Riddle Stadium. The CPL is a wooden-bat league that gives collegiate athletes 52 games to improve their skills for the college season. Find out more at www.fayettevilleswampdogs.com/ or call (910) 426-5900.

Hockey - Cape Fear FireAntz
The Cape Fear FireAntz took to the ice in the 2002-2003 season. The FireAntz are a member of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. For more information, go to www.fireantzhockey.com/.

Fayetteville Motor Sports Park
The drag strip features dirt-track stock cars and drag racing on a ¼ mile track with a 200-foot concrete starting line and is sanctioned by the International Hot Rod Association. For information call (910) 484-3677.

REGIONAL PROFESSIONAL SPORTS

Carolina Panthers
Charlotte is the home of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League, playing in Erickson Stadium. Bus and train special groups as well as many individual vehicles attend the home games of the Panthers. Visit www.cpanthers.com/.

Carolina Cobras Arena Football
The Raleigh Sports and Entertainment Complex is home of the Carolina Cobras arena football team. For more information go to www.cobrasfootball.com/ or call (704) 940-2100.

Carolina Hurricanes, National Hockey League
Raleigh is now home to the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes. The Canes play in the new Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena, bringing major league sports to the region. For more information go to www.carolinahurricanes.com.