Exit133

June 6, 2014 · Exit133

Now You Can Buy Ice Cream or Rent a Paddle Board in Some Tacoma Parks

You can now purchase ice cream, chips, juice, and fruit from concessionaires in several Tacoma parks. You can also rent a stand-up paddleboard on the Ruston Way waterfront.

Metro Parks' "Carts in Parks" program launched last weekend with vending carts from All City Vending in Wapato, Jefferson, and Titlow parks, the Verlo Playfield (formerly McKinley Playfield), and the Center at Norpoint. The carts will be in parks seven days a week, noon to 7 p.m. through September 30 as a part of the program to bring concessions to selected Tacoma parks.

Dolan's Board Sports has a stand for stand-up paddle board rentals at Jack Hyde Park on the waterfront near Old Town Dock. The boards rent by the hour, and lessons are available if you're new to SUP. From the Dolan's Facebook page, it also appears that they will be offering opportunities for SUP yoga classes for the more ambitious (and well-balanced) folks out there.

Not all of the parks originally listed as options for the carts program are listed here, so we could still see more parks added as summer progresses.

Who's ready to call it a day and go play in the park?

Filed under: Waterfront, Parks, Sports, Ruston Way

5 comments

  • nwcolorist June 6, 2014

    Saturday in the park, I think it was the Fourth of July. People dancing, people laughing, a man selling ice cream, Singing Italian songs. --Chicago OK, I'm ready for summer.

  • JDHasty June 9, 2014

    But you cannot drive your vehicle to a trailhead and go for a morning walk in Point Defiance if you are elderly or disabled. A yes vote no on Parks levies is a vote for discrimination, vote no until this is changed. http://www.king5.com/news/Pt-Defiance-Park-closes-off-popular-scenic-drive-to-cars-in-mornings-228942351.html

  • JDHasty June 9, 2014

    You won't be able to drive go carts at Point Defiance soon either. Vote no on all parks levies.

  • Christine June 9, 2014

    There are a ton of ways to access trails even with the closed 5-mile drive! One way would be to walk on 5-mile drive itself to the trail you wish to access and the trails do criss-cross the park and tend to cross the roads many times. Someone is being overly dramatic, the drive won't be closed all day, just a few hours in the morning.

    • JDHasty June 10, 2014

      [quote]There are a ton of ways to access trails even with the closed 5-mile drive! One way would be to walk on 5-mile drive itself to the trail you wish to access and the trails do criss-cross the park and tend to cross the roads many times. Someone is being overly dramatic, the drive won’t be closed all day, just a few hours in the morning.[/quote] My mother drove to the park every day, well into her 80's, and went for short walks on the very trails that are now shut off from others who cannot walk five miles, or even one mile, but enjoy a short walk each morning. This is discrimination, as defined under CFR 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act and it would be justice if each and every person responsible for this disgrace were sued until their pockets were inside out. As it is, thanks for coming forward and self identifying as a person who discriminates against people who are not as able as you.