By Kathy Henderson
Older adult programs at the North Dale Recreation Center are unique because community members started those activities themselves.
The free weekly programs include Senior Fitness, knit and crochet, and Senior Gamers groups, all operating as self-directed, activities, said Ari Dahlager, community recreation director for the North Dale, Northwest Como and Langford centers.
While the St. Paul Parks and Recreation Center in the Como Park neighborhood provides space, scheduling and a check-in process, no staff members are assigned to lead or monitor the activity, Dahlager said. However, there is a $3 fee for senior and adult pickleball, he said.
No matter what the activity is at North Dale, the participants uniformly and emphatically agree that socialization is as important to them as the activity itself. All emphasized their group welcomes new members.
The Senior Fitness exercise group acknowledges that they typically have one person who leads them each week, but if she is away, they can keep going without her. “We’re here to exercise, but we do lots of talking in this room, too,” one member said. “We talk about what books we’re reading, recommend restaurants to each other and provide shopping tips.”
The knitting and crocheting group meets on the main level at the North Dale center. Participants good naturedly chat and laugh, as they spread out their individual projects and colorful skeins of yarn around a large table, each working on their own creation.
Their projects vary. One may be working on a scarf, another a baby blanket, and still another a tiny cap that a hospital will be able to have on hand to give to parents of preemie newborn. A new apartment for a friend inspires one to work on an afghan to celebrate the move.
It’s a bit quieter during the action of Senior Gamers board games or cards playing. But between hands or games, there also is plenty of talking and laughter in this room.
Even though Pickleball is considered a competitive sport, the North Dale Tuesday noontime players are a friendly bunch. Between matches, player Renee offered a shout out to prospective players to give it a try: “You can show up with nothing and people will lend you a paddle and adjust their game to the level of beginners.”
Paul Mccarrick, a pickleball enthusiast who recreationally plays pickleball with his wife at several area locations, joked, “We like to win.”
But he added, “I sleep okay even if I lose.”
North Dale’s current schedule is available at stpaul.gov/facilities/north-dale-recreation-center.
Kathy Henderson lives in St. Paul and is a Bugle freelance writer.
Photo caption: Older adults take the lead in directing and running a number of activities at the North Dale Recreation Center including Senior Fitness, knit and crochet and Senior Gamers. Photos by Kathy Henderson.
