This pool is Norfolk's newest recreational center and is a real beauty. For those outside the…read moreswimming community you would never know about the shortage of swimming pools this area has, but it's true. This new facility was a very welcome addition to Norfolk and the surrounding communities. The complex is almost a year old and looks it too. The building is a looker from the outside with all glass and clean lines. A really cool bronze statute greets you out front of a woman with long legs and arms stretched out. Parking is good, but not sure I would say great if they were really busy. One thing that will not be too much of an issue is this facility is not really set up for swim meets. Could they do a small one... YES! They even have a scoreboard. I really don't see it. Also a drawback is no exercise room that would have been a sweet enhancement. As you enter the check in desk is in front, a nice lobby with TV to the left and lockers to the right. Also to the left and down the corridor a bit is a large multi purpose room with kitchen. This was an important aspect of the facility to hold meetings and accommodate parties etc. The locker rooms are very small, with only two benches to change on. This was one of the missed opportunities I will speak to in this review. They had plenty lockers, but few stalls and a small showering area. However, I found them to be spic and span. Let's get to the exciting part. The pool is a six lane with a two story water slide that swirls you outside and back in and down into the pool. They also have a basketball hoop. I was impressed with pool and deck, it was really done nicely. There are blocks at the end of the lanes for diving starts. I am unsure if the length is in meters, or yards. The size of the pool was the biggest missed opportunity of the complex. An eight lane pool is standard for running swim meets. A six lane is completely inadequate to hold a swimming competition. There is a score board, but my assumption is not one meet has taken place. They most certainly had the land to expand. There is probably two acres out back. It will be interesting to see if this land is ever developed. The spectator area is first class. Just off the deck on three tiers. It is comfortable and parents can easily see there swimmers play, take lessons etc. This is something they gave some thought to and I score this high having seating just off the pool and close to children. The lifeguards that I encountered were approachable and nice to talk to. The evening that I attended a lifeguard not on duty was providing private lessons to a young swimmer. The guards have there own room which is state of the art with exam table and plenty of cabinet for storage. I also saw the must have defibrillator. I like the location of this aquatic center, especially in Norfolk where the greatest need was. The city had the foresight to seek the funding and got it built. However, the lack of a eight lane pool was just not smart at all! Compare what the City of Virginia Beach does at there recreational centers. Everyone is an eight lane competition pool. If your a resident of Norfolk you can get in for a discount, other pay more. Of course they have membership and I would recommend. Since they offer lessons parents should take notice of when classes are being offered to make sure the little one can swim. There is so much water in our community and programs like this are perfect to educate on water safety and have fun.

Slide is awesome! pool is very clean staff is very nice. restrooms, locker room etc always stay…read moreclean

A community center is supposed to be a place where you can hold club meetings, throw a birthday…read moreparty, enjoy the pool, and, yes, take a class and work out in the gym. This place is just a gym with too many rules. Here's what I've been asked to stop doing or even leave for: Swimming too slowly in the pool lanes Not playing tennis in the tennis court (my child and I were the only ones there, and we were playing) Bringing a child younger than 9 or 14 onto the track Playing basketball with a basketball brought from home. All the others are ALWAYS taken. They confiscated my ball. Going the wrong way in the pool. The lifeguard didn't realize that going against the current is a form of exercise. Walking the track instead of running Stopping next to the track Sitting on the exercise equipment. It had a chair that I chose to sit on for two minutes. No one was around. Today, two fellow members kicked me out because I had flip-flops on. They were right about it being against the rules, but it just reminded me of the pervasive culture of entitlement and snobbery that exists at this location. For context, I have memory issues, which is why I had flip-flops on at the gym.

Love this recreation center. One of the reasons to feel good about being a VA Beach resident is…read morethat you get an annual membership for $120 and you get access to all the amenities (pool, gym, track, locker room, etc) and classes (tai chi, Zumba, yoga, etc ). Not only at this location but also other recreation centers as well! Parking is ample. You get full view of the pool to the left of the entrance and then the welcome/reception desk and even a peek at the indoor court. The membership signup was a breeze, the staff was helpful. Flyers of class schedule, pool and gym schedule and other locations are all available by the bulletin stand where you take schedule printouts. I cannot wait to start my early morning classes!

My brother was visiting recently, and we were trying to come up with inexpensive ideas to take the…read morekids somewhere. Luckily, my bro had heard about splash parks in different states, and he found Portsmouth Splash Park (PSP) here in Hampton Roads. PSP is located on Elm and South in Portsmouth, and we decided to check it out. When we first drove by, we noticed there was no one around--no water running, no kids playing. I wondered if the place was closed, but then I saw two adults sitting on chairs. They were indeed open and we had the whole place to ourselves. The best part is it's free! When PSP opened 3 years ago, they charged $2 per person--which is still a bargain. It seemed that the turnout was low so they decided to do away with the fee. When you get to the desk, you will need to sign up and listen to the rules. Rule number one: no running! PSP has 15 interactive apparatus: giraffe, frog, dragon, crayon, flowers, pails, cattails, anchor and water blasters--fun and colorful. If you're planning to watch the kids instead of playing, there is no shade and no chairs, but there is a restroom. You are not allowed to bring in personal chairs and no food or drink (except water bottles--no glass please). PSP is clean, and a wonderful way to spend an hour or so during a hot summer day. Unfortunately, they are closed for the summer now--but bookmark this place for next year!

This is a nice little sprinkler for kids... even adults! The down fall is a couple of things: (1.)…read moreNo good working number on the internet for the weekend. (2.) No where to sit , no shaded benched areas. Other than that cool little place.

It was only the second time I had been to this Rec Center. Neither time included activities. The…read morefirst was to check out the walking lanes in the pool. This time was for an event being held in a large meeting room off the lobby. The location is on the portion of Newtown Road where the road turns east & the remainder is called Diamond Springs Road. This portion of the road actually runs between Haygood Road and that split. On the campus of buildings are also two elementary schools. The land, previously a farm, was donated to the city by the Williams Family, There are definite positives & negatives to the indoor pool. It appeared from my viewpoint to be slightly smaller than that of Bayside Rec Center. The walking lanes are fantastic for those who enjoy or need that experience for therapeutic reasons. But it does take away from the pool space for those who go to swim or just splash. There are outside activities that aren't available at Bayside. A large connected & fenced splash area was great for younger kids running through the water on a hot day. It gave the feel of a series of stationary underground sprinklers. I viewed an enclosed skate board ramp. Adjacent to that was something being used that was below ground level. I'm not sure what type of activity was involved. I didn't venture further down the meeting room hall. But the large glass window room in which my event was held was great & very accessible. One big flaw was the lack of handicapped parking spaces. I only saw four & had to park in hinterlands in terrible heat. This Rec Center is a great addition to this part of Bayside. It's walking distance from a lot of condo's & apartments. So kids can get there very easily in the summer. The Williams family's land donation is being put to good use.

it's been a year and change since I wrote my last review. We did get a security officer for a while…read morebut he retired and once again no security. But since then the situation has gotten better. The new building supervisor has a different way of handling the center and the problems have subsided. There is only so much we as employees can do when parents aren't responsible enough to raise their children properly and adults who lose their temper like children, but we are doing our best to keep our patrons safe.

I visited this center for a private event last weekend…read more I heard about this center before and wanted to check it out, but never got around to it. I still really didn't check it out last Saturday. I only walked in the front door - to the right - and the event was in the banquet rooms to the right. If I had to guess about two rooms were used to accompany about 100 people. Overall, I was please with the center. I did see young boys enjoying the facility. I did notice this center is only open from 12p-4p on Saturdays. Unlike most recreation centers in the area, this one looks to be the the largest or in close competition with others in the city. Plenty of parking! Check them out when time permits. Have fun and enjoy life :)

This center is huge and so amazing. I came here because of tge google reviews and they were so on…read morepoint. Greeted with kindness, everything is spotless, seniors are working out, I mean really pumping iton. I am motivated. The parking lot is wonderful too. Spaces are wider than usual to accommodate newer vehicles. The mixture of ages is very nice. I am jazzed by the positive attitudes and smiles. Loving it.

There is a lunch with Santa held every year. Usually the first Saturday in December. Always a…read moregreat time! This is a well kept recreation center! I had never had a compliant about this center. The staff and facility are always in tact. I visited here last Saturday for their annual Lunch with Santa! The event started promptly at 11am and ended promptly a few minutes before 1pm. The City of Suffolk opens there doors to Northern Shores Recreation for a few hours of free fun for the kids. If adults want to participate (eat lunch) they are asked to pay $5 in advance (registration required). But I found out that the in advance registration is only to get a rough estimate of attendees. As a result, if you do not register prior to the event, there is certainly opportunity to register once you arrive. While adults are responsible to pay $5, children are asked to bring an unwrapped toy for a boy or girl to place under the Christmas tree. Now how awesome is that!! So once the adult pays and the child brings the toy...a day of fun begins. During this event you will experience: bounce houses, cotton candy, popcorn, pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, holiday crafts, coloring, face painting, custom balloons, lunch from Chic Fil A and raffles drawn throughout the event. Now I love a great children's event and I must say Northern Shores has it put together very well!! This was my 2nd year attending and I plan to attend until my 7 yr old daughter tells me she's too old to go. Children ranged from toddlers to 11 years old. And even if your child isn't into Santa it's still a great time for a worthy cause!! I would definitely recommend you mark your calendar for the first Saturday in Decemeber 2015 (when the event usually takes place). You will definitely not be disappointed a Saturday of fun well spent... Also...the picture quality is great as well. If you wish to bring your own camera to take the picture that is totally acceptable! Have fun :)

Wish Chesapeake parks and rec would look at VA beach parks and rec and take some notes. Put more…read moremoney into the community centers and build them up the way VA beach does. They offer summer camp at 3 locations and it doesn't even start until 9am when most people have to already be at work. They offer aftercare at limited locations and have about 25 spots available, you have to line up on registration day and hour before they open to get a spot. Make the facilities better and raise the price a bit and actually give something the community needs.

Chesapeake Parks & Recreation holds outstanding and well organized events. I've attended several…read morekayaking events. Today, I completed their Paddle To The Border event! It is a 7 mile kayak/canoe/paddle board event through the Dismal Swamp Canal! Every volunteer and attendant is extremely friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. They had the best food before and after! Definitely signing up next year! http://www.cityofchesapeake.net/page3022.aspx

Let's go! I came here with my family. We had so much fun! 20 minutes doesn't sound like a long time…read morebut it's enough. The staff was so kind and helpful! We left tired, sweaty and laughing all the time. We're looking forward to visiting again!

So many options on what to do. There are speakers for you to use in the rooms, which make it even…read moremore fun. They have add on items for purchase as well. We had a blast and will be back.

Great park and fishing pier at the base of the South Norfolk Jordan Bridge. Two sets of public…read morerestrooms a dog park fishing pier and boat launch. Also have a snack and bait shop. Really enjoy running and walking the bridge. Nice pedestrian walkway goes all the way across. Great views! Sunrise always nice from the top of the bridge. Worth noting the fishing pier is free no need for license

I found Elizabeth River Park during my run today. I was quite excited to find a nice little refuge…read morein a quiet neighborhood in the Virginia Beach area. Parts of the trails are paved, but the real gems are the dirt areas where it's quiet and peaceful. I saw quite a bit of wildlife during my brief run through some of the trails. There are numbered sign posts throughout the trails that explain what you are seeing. I didn't stop to look at them as I was more focused on my run. There are a few lakes on the side of the river which are beautiful. You can access the river with your boat if you'd like. I didn't get to explore the whole park but I'd like to next time I'm nearby.