Specialty Facilities

Special recreation and thematic programmed facilities provide focused activities and programs for youth and adults around specific recreational activities: indoor soccer and team sports, ice skating, roller skating and bowling, boxing, kayak and canoeing, golf, nature and environmental education. Distributed across different neighborhoods in the city, these facilities are available for use by all interested residents. Activities at many of the special use facilities are structured to offer casual recreation use during “public” sessions and also support team-based athletics during “reserved” sessions. Two indoor soccer venues, Myers Soccer Pavilion in Farring Baybrook Park and Du Burns Soccer Arena in Canton Park/Bonvegna Field are programmed to allow reserved time for team practice and competition, as well as free-play time. Du Burns Arena is owned by the city but leased to a private operator. The two indoor ice rinks, Mimi DiPietro in Patterson Park and Mt Pleasant Ice Arena in Mt Pleasant Park, provide opportunities for skating lessons and general recreation, as well as reserved time for figure skating lessons, ice hockey and broomball team competition and practices. The Department also operates two special facilities in the Upton neighborhood: Shake & Bake Family Fun Center, a place for bowling and roller skating, and the Upton Boxing Center, a boxing training facility which has produced youths who have moved on to professional boxing. The Baltimore Rowing and Water Resources Center at Middle Branch Park in Cherry Hill serves as a location for outdoor kayaking and boating programs, environmental education, and an active senior citizen program. The senior program takes place two days a week at the facility. The City owns four (4) golf courses located in city parks – Carroll, Clifton, Gwynns Falls (Forest Park Golf Course) and Mount Pleasant. Managed by the Municipal Golf Corporation, these public golf courses are open to everyone and historically were some of the first public golf courses. The Pete Rawlings Conservatory and Gardens, located within Druid Hill Park and the Cylburn Mansion and the Vollmer Center, located with Cylburn Arboretum provides a range of programming about horticulture, gardening and plants in partnership with friends groups. The Carrie Murray Nature Center in Gwynns Falls Park offers environmental education and hosts a nature based early childhood center. Other, more specific facilities that connect people with nature, including boat ramps, canoe/kayak launches, fishing piers and a campground. To leave feedback or ask a question about this dataset, please fill out the following form: Specialty Facilities feedback form.