"DISCOVER YOUR HANCOCK PARKS" all seasons. New adventures await visitors 365 days a year, dawn to dark, with year around parks and outdoor recreational opportunities. A network of public facilities remain open free of charge with clean, safe, natural parks thanks to Hancock County voters who renew a park levy periodically.

What's New

Free Watercraft Rides At Riverside Landing Boat Rentals For July 4th Holiday
Celebrate Independence Day at the Riverside Landing Boat Rental Concession in grand style.  The Hancock Park District will be offering FREE ½ hour boat rentals for canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats the entire day on Saturday, July 4th in celebration of our Nation’s Birthday.  Free public rentals will be available on a first come, first served basis between normal operation hours of 1:00 – 7:00 pm, as long as weather and river conditions are conducive for opening.

As a holiday special, all watercraft renters will also receive a $1.00 discount coupon for a regular ½ hour rental period just for spending their afternoon with HPD at the Riverside Waterfront.   The discount coupon can be redeemed at anytime during the 2009 season until Labor Day, September 7 at the boat livery during normal business hours.  Regular boat rental rates are set at $5.00 per half hour.

NRPA Kicks Off National Park and Recreation Month in July!
Join in a month-long celebration of our local parks and recreation right here in Hancock County.  Check out the multitude of reservable facilities, recreational opportunities and public events that are available throughout county, city and village parks that help to provide so much to so many. Discover Your Hancock Parks!
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58th Season of the Riverside Summer Concert Series Begins June 17 at the Allen P. Dudley Memorial Band Shell
Music will once again fill the air at Riverside Park as the Riverside Summer Concert Series begins Wednesday, June 17 with the Night Jazz.  Ten free summer musical concerts, highlighting local performers, will take the stage of the Allen P. Dudley Memorial Band Shell and Dick Daugherty Plaza as part of the 2008 Season. The concert series has become a community event with 58 years of musical tradition in Hancock County.  All concerts will begin at 7:30pm. 

Concert goers can sit and relax on benches provided in the area or bring your own sit upon or blanket and listen under the evening skies to other concert dates including June 24 – Millstream Singers, June 30 – 122^nd Ohio Army National Guard Band, July 1, 8, 15 – Findlay Civic Concert Band, July 22 – Fostoria Lake Plains Barbershop Chorus, July 29 – Pantasia, August 5 – The Alum Creek Singers, and August 12 – Findlay Civic Jazz.  

Performances by the Findlay Civic Concert Band will include special features during each of their three performances. On July 1, the concert will be highlighted by a ceremony to present the Flag City Award before the concert begins at 7:15pm. The July 8 performance is entitled “Gershwin – An American Treasure”, and July 15 is “Because You Asked For It – Audience Requests From 2008”.            

The community event continues to be free thanks to the generous financial support of Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation, Findlay Hearing Aid Center, The Heritage, Marathon Petroleum Company LLC, Merrill Lynch and Primrose Retirement Community.  Patron Sponsors supporting a variety of concert performances include Fifth Third Bank, Americare Home Health Services, Sunrise of Findlay and Findlay Music Boosters. Printing sponsorship was provided by Taylor House Assisted Living.  Cooperation to produce the concert series is provided by the City of Findlay Parks and Recreation Department, Hancock Parks Foundation, University of Findlay and Hancock Park District. Sound engineering is provided by the House of Hindenach. Radio personalities from WFIN Radio will be providing the Master of Ceremonies throughout the duration of the series. The series is coordinated by Volunteer Series Coordinator John Marshall.

Other features of the concert series will include free water bottles and other light refreshment during the majority of concert nights being provided by financial and patron sponsors and Hancock Friends of the Parks.  Refreshments are provided free before performances begin.     

Concert goers are reminded to arrive early for choice seating and parking. In the event of inclement weather conditions, please listen to local media for last minute cancellations. Every effort is made to hold each concert.  Complete concert schedules can be obtained by calling the Hancock Park District office, located at 1424 East Main Cross Street, Findlay, 419-425-7275.
Concert Schedule
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Dogpawlooza: A Barking Good Time At Riverbend
Wag your way into Riverbend Recreation Area on Saturday, July 11, for Dogpawlooza. Join in the free and fun activities celebrating our furry friends starting at 9am. Enter your dog in the “Furry Fun Show” to compete in a fascinating show of talents, skills, and beauty. Dogs of all shapes, sizes, and breeds are welcome to enter categories like Most Creative Trick, Looks Most Like Owner, Best Costume, and more. Winners receive first through third place rosettes.  Registration for the “Furry Fun Show” takes place from 8:00-8:45am. The first 50 entrants will receive a free “Doggy Bag” stuffed with goodies from our sponsors!

If your dog is the cutest thing around, grab your camera and capture that animal magnetism in a photo. Then enter the picture of your dog in the HPD “Top Dog” Photo Contest. The public will vote for their favorite photo the day of Dogpawlooza. The winner will receive a $50 cash prize courtesy of the Friends of the Parks. The photo will be used in HPD promotional materials. Registration deadline to enter the HPD “Top Dog” Photo Contest is Thursday, July 9 at 4:30pm. Entry forms with contest rules can be picked up at the HPD Office at 1424 East Main Cross Street, Findlay, or downloaded below.

You don’t need to compete to have fun at Dogpawlooza, enjoy a variety of activities throughout the day. A demonstration provided by the Assistance Dogs of America will kick of Dogpawlooza. You decide who wins the HPD “Top Dog” Photo Contest, so don’t forget to vote for your favorite picture. If you get hungry, support the Humane Society of Hancock County by eating some of their delicious food. While you eat, come watch the Furry Fun Show to see the Funniest Costumes and the Best Tail Wags. Your four-legged friends will also appreciate a visit to the “Doggy Splash Zone” to cool off.

You can also peruse local business displays and enter for a chance to win fantastic door prizes from the following companies: The Dog House Inn, Findlay Animal Hospital, Foxy Pet Sitting, Science Diet – Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc., and VCA Animal Medical Center.

Spectators and entrants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to sit on to watch the festivities. All activities will take place in or near the K-9 Field of Dreams Dog Park at Riverbend Recreation Area.
2009 Dogpawlooza Brochure
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2009 Community Parks Visit Schedule
The Board of Park Commissioners will be visiting the community parks in Hancock County Villages and Fostoria June thru September.  On the regularly scheduled Board meeting dates (all Tuesdays), the Board will first meet at 2 PM in the HPD Office, 1424 E. Main Cross Street, Findlay, for a brief agenda of Board meeting business. Then, they will proceed together with other staff and guests, to the parks, as arranged to meet with local park representatives.

The public is welcome to attend at the HPD office and each park, providing their own transportation.  Each visit is expected to last at least 1 hour.  Monthly Public Meeting Notices with Agenda will still be posted as usual.

For contact that day for emergency or changes, call cell # 419-672-8897.
All appointments rain or shine.
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Riverside Landing Boat Rentals
Now Open for the 2009 Season
With A Fresh New Look

Riverside Landing Boat Rental Concession continues a tradition for over 30 years of providing area residents and visitors the opportunity to see the Blanchard River by boat.   The boat livery concession re-opened for the 2009 season on Sunday, May 17 with a fresh new look along the scenic overlook to welcome park visitors to tour "Down by the Old Mill Steam" to see spring wildflowers and wildlife along the banks of the historic Blanchard River with public rentals of canoes, pedal boats and kayaks.

The Landing is part of Findlay’s historic Riverside Park Waterfront that has been a major attraction for over 100 years luring visitors who are seeking a quite, cool and relaxing outing along the banks. Age, several world wars, and floods however, have changed the park, and the flood of August 2007 was no different. Water covered the park for several days, damaging many facilities and destroying much of the park’s landscaping along the river’s edge. Local groups have been assisting this renovation, and Findlay Zonta Club is one leader in this effort, donating $5000 to the park as part of their 50th anniversary year here in Findlay.

The scenic overlook at Riverside, where watercraft dock and others are rented from the boat house, has been renamed Zonta Landing. Thanks to partial funding from Zonta Club, the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation and the Hancock Parks Foundation, renovation work started by the City and Park District last fall and opened this spring with dedication ceremonies set for May 19, 2009. A new stamped concrete plaza off the bike path leads to the renovated boat house. Flower planters, light pole banners and benches have been added and other landscaping refreshed. Steps to the river have been changed. New interpretive panels featuring the Historic Riverside Park Waterfront” are installed near the boat house. The Hancock Historical Museum and Hancock Park District collaborated on the educational panels with local graphic artist Leslie Hancock to provide visitor information and maps of the riverfront and waterway.    

Boat livery operations are open weekends and holidays, 1 to 7pm through Labor Day, September 7. In the event of high water or hazardous conditions, the concession may be closed at the discretion of the HPD staff.  Interested renters should keep in mind that rentals for all watercrafts are accepted on a first come, first serve basis.

Rental rates for all types of watercrafts, with a complete outfitting of life jackets and paddles, are set at $5.00 per half hour rental period during regular open hours. Other rates and details for special features include all day canoe float trips, company picnics/family reunions, and group rentals after hours can be obtained and arranged by contacting the HPD office during open hours, Monday through Friday, 8am – 4:30pm.  Arrangement for groups must be confirmed through the HPD office at least one week in advance with fees paid at the HPD office.  A $1.00 discount coupon can be downloaded on-line at www.HancockParks.com  under the Recreation session and redeemed at the HPD concession during regular open hours.  

For additional information contact the HPD office located at 1424 East Main Cross Street, Findlay, or call 419-425-7275 during open hours, M-F, 8 am – 4:30 pm or the Riverside Landing Boathouse, during open hours only, at 419-423-1902.
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NEW E-Newsletter “Raccoon Tales” Signup Available On Website
Keep yourself up to date and sign up for our new HPD e-newsletter “Raccoon Tales” right on our website.  A publication will be sent to you periodically to keep you up to date or remind you about upcoming events and happenings of the Hancock Parks. The publication is “permission based” only, so you need to sign up on our website in order to receive it.  The publication is sent free to anyone requesting it.
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"Tell Us Your Story" Contest Begins
Help Hancock Parks “toot our horns” as we prepare to celebrate the 40 th anniversary of the Hancock Park District in 2010 by sharing your favorite memory(s) with us.  “Tell Us Your Story” is a year-long contest for anyone to submit their favorite story of visiting a park area that is part of the Hancock Parks system.  Share your stories of why you enjoy them and what you like the most. Have the parks become a part of your everyday life and why? 

How will the stories be used? Each month during 2010 a new story will be featured on the HPD website. Stories will also be featured in news articles, HPD information centers and other promotional materials as part of our 40th anniversary.  We plan to celebrate all year with your stories!

Twelve winning entries will be awarded a free shelter rental certificate to be redeemed for any outdoor shelter located within the Hancock Parks.  After the monthly selection, all twelve winning entries will be eligible for a random drawing to recieve one free rental of Brugeman Lodge at Riverbend.  All winners will be required to comply with HPD Rules & Regulations in accordance with facility usage and decisions of the Hancock Parks with specific regard to winners are final.  Winners will be required to sign a wavier and agree to allow their names, stories and pictures to be used by Hancock Parks.

All entries must be submitted by December 15, 2009 on an official entry form and participants are encourage to attach pictures that relate to your story.  E-mail submissions are preferred. Click onto "Ranger Rac" on the right side. Entry forms can also be obtained at HPD Headquarters (M-F, 8am - 4:30pm) or Oakwoods Discovery Center during scheduled openings and mailed or dropped off at 1424 East Main Cross St., Findlay.  As entries are received they will be collected and information verified before consideration.  Submitted entries and pictures will become the property of HPD and will not be returned.  Incomplete entry forms will not be eligible.

"Tell Us Your Story" today.  We are waiting to hear from you!  Further questions contact us at 419-425-7275.
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