Last summer in Linnan Park, I came across a group of people volleying a hard yellow plastic ball to one another across a net. Instead of bumping and spiking the ball with their arms, they were mostly using their feet. From a bench some distance away, I could hear the crack of the ball as […]
Des Moines recreation
Posted inCommunity/News
Table tennis takes minutes to learn and a lifetime to master, according to Des Moines’ highest-ranking player
Every week, the Four Mile Community Center echoes with the sound of hollow plastic balls smacking against wood, signaling match time for the Des Moines Table Tennis Club. For over three decades, the club has introduced new players to the game, building a community around rubber-coated paddles. The Des Moines Table Tennis Club was formed […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
‘The next generation’ of Iowa skaters are carving out a community in the nation’s largest skatepark
On any sunny afternoon, the Lauridsen Skatepark in downtown Des Moines is filled with locals and out-of-towners, amateurs and pros, teens and 20-somethings. And right along with them, you’ll find the Subsect Kids Skate Crew, a group of skaters who are among the youngest at the park. “They really found and created their own space […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
All-weather snow sports hill coming to Des Moines in 2023
If you can’t get enough snowy activities, you’ll want to plan a visit to Sleepy Hollow Sports Park in 2023. Polk County Conservation announced Thursday morning that it will be installing an “all-season turf surface” on the tubing hill at Sleepy Hollow that will allow for winter sports such as tubing, snowboarding, and skiing to […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Des Moines installs ‘art corridors’ along five bike trails, showcasing local artists
New art installations have changed the view along five of Des Moines’ popular bike trails. These “art corridors” include panels mounted to a line of metal posts, angled towards pedestrians and cyclists zipping down the trail. “If you’re familiar with kinetic art, or elliptic lenticular art, where no matter how you’re moving, you get to […]
Posted inCommunity/News
‘Adult recess’ encourages Des Moines grown-ups to play like a kid again
Old or young, everyone needs a break — a respite from school, work, stress and boredom in which to stretch our legs and relax our minds. Unfortunately, arguably the best version of the break — recess — tends to end with elementary school, despite the positive effects including socialization, exercise, improvements with memory, concentration and […]
Posted inCentral Iowa
Iowa runners on running
Since the pandemic began, more people are running than ever. It is one of the most popular, and for many, accessible forms of exercise there is. Little Village asked a range of runners from Des Moines, the CRANDIC and the Quad Cities areas to comment on their experiences: advice for beginners, motivations to move, injury […]
Posted inCommunity/News
As Iowa skate culture swells, Skate DSM is giving away 500 skateboards and helmets to local kids
Students pre-K through 8th grade can nab a free, brand-new skateboard and helmet through a new initiative from Skate DSM. “One of the biggest goals of Skate DSM is to really get more kids on skateboards,” said organization president Norm Sterzenbach. “The Get on Board Project is literally getting more kids on skateboards.” The Get […]
