Ottumwa is fortunate to have a large extensive park system that meets the recreational interests of almost anyone. The City’s various public properties and 22 parks total approximately 600 acres. Ottumwa Park, Wildwood Park and Memorial Park are the largest within our park system. The City sports a large public campground located within the Ottumwa Park. The Beach Ottumwa is a large regional waterpark with three outdoor pools, two indoor pools and three slides. The Beach is nearing the end of a $2.8 million renovation which has added a new sound system and eight new features for the wave pool. Our park system has 14 baseball and softball diamonds located in various parks as well as the Ottumwa Park. These are leased at a nominal sum to private organizations. The Ottumwa Skate Park located on Market Street in downtown Ottumwa is about 20 years old featuring several competitive ramps. Ottumwa has an 11-mile long bicycle and pedestrian trail system built primarily on top of the City’s levees. This trail system also incorporates a three-mile John Deere loop. A mountain bike trail has been developed in Memorial Park.
There are a number of capital improvements which will enhance our facilities and recreational programming. These improvements will need to be planned to match available funding. These projects include re-surfacing the Dan Staggs tennis courts, upgrading the campground shower house, building a new skate park, developing open space trails and wildflower plantings at Bell Park, improving the bike levee trail and constructing new basketball courts. Finally, we are exploring options and developing plans to create new recreational opportunities in the oxbow area of Greater Ottumwa Park.
