As July approaches and the heat begins to swelter, lakes and swimming pools become the most viable means of summer entertainment. But for now, the clouds tamper with summer agendas. So how can the landlocked student waste their day away?

Norman offers countless parks that offer concerts, pools, picnic spots and best of all, Frisbee golf. Finding a park is the student's best excuse to go outside.

Below is a guide to some of the best parks, broken up by region, that Norman has to offer.

Northeast

Only one park in the northeast section of Norman offers a tennis court and that is the two-acre 12th Avenue Recreation Center, 1701 12th Ave. NE. Since private tennis courts are rare, this is a popular way to go for many Normanites. Francis Cate Park, a 14-acre park on Carter Ave. and Robinson Street serves as a sports haven. Francis Cate is fully equipped with picnic grounds, playground equipment, backstops, basketball courts and soccer goals. Griffin Community Park is also stacked with activities for all ages. The 160-acre Griffin Community, 1001 E. Robinson, offers lighted baseball diamonds, football and soccer spots for those looking for a pick-up-game. Also at Griffin Community are backstops, restrooms and walking/running trails. Ruth Updegraff Park on Peters Ave. and Acres Street also offers a lighted baseball diamond.

Of all the parks in Norman, students are most likely to frequent the disc golf courses than the other recreational parks.

Disc Golf is a popular activity in Norman. The sport is very similar to golf, except instead of hitting a ball with a nine-iron golf club, competitors toss an aeronautically designed disc into a distant net which serves as the hole. The largest and most difficult disc golf course in Norman resides at Lions Park, immediately visible off Robinson St. and 12th Ave.

The other 18-hole disc golf course is located at Colonial Estates on Biloxi St. and Lindsey St.

"As far as parks that serve the public good, they are all pretty miniscule," said Nick Bolton, visual communications junior. "The disc golf courses stand out the most."

Bolton said he and his friends play disc golf three times a week.

"They offer the most for people," Bolton said. "You can tell they put some time into those [courses]. At Lions, Park they have that fishing pond which is good for people to fish in."

John Payne, mechanical engineering junior, said he relieves stress by disc golfing three days a week. He said he plays at Colonial Estates and Lions Park.

"It's a fun, leisurely activity," Payne said. "It's really cheap and it's nice to be outside after being in class all day."

Payne said he and his friends started playing disc golf on a whim one day when they bought a cheap Frisbee. He said after finding numerous stray Frisbees in a pond, they were hooked on the affordable hobby.

"Lions Park is more advanced, but it's just woods and trimmed down areas. Colonial is more open air, like an actual park."

Payne said he would "indeed" be Frisbee golfing for the remainder of the summer.

Norman parks also have watering holes. For fishing, the George M. Sutton Urban Wilderness is a 160-acre spread of trees and fishing spots. The Wilderness is located on 12th Ave. NE and Rock Creek Rd.

Students of history may prefer to walk Chisolm's Cattle Trail, Wyandotte Way, which offers a picnic area and playground equipment for children. Other trails in the northeast include Sequoyah Trail and the High Meadows, High Meadows Drive, Northcliff Ave & High Trail.

Northwest

As for outdoor summer concerts, The Summer Breeze concert series alternates locations between Lions Park and Andrews Park, corner of Daws St. & Webster. The Series features local bands playing the park stages as the sun falls to night. Concerts still to be played at Lions include: Ellis Paul June 19, Sac a Pulsas July 31, Valvedrifter August 21, Todd Snider Sept. 11 and Byron Berline Band Sept. 25.

Andrews Park shows include Joel Rafael Band July 10 and Brave Combo August 7.

Northwest Norman is also home to the 18-hole Westwood Golf Course. In fact, the entire facility holds picnic areas, a playground, tennis courts and a municipal swimming pool. Don't tell the golf cart riders you were just Frisbee golfing.

Andrews park offers 17.2 acres of rich natural setting-grounds for picnics abound. The wading pool at Andrews is always an option as well. For joggers, northwest Norman is a welcome diversion from campus running. Berkley, Brookhaven, Lions Memorial, Riverwalk Memorial Park and William Morgan all offer jogging trails.

For hoopsters, Brookhaven, Lions Memorial, Riverwalk Memorial and William Morgan parks offer basketball courts.

Southeast

Picnicking spots in Southeast parks of Norman are aplenty. Colonial Estates, Eastridge, Eastwood, Faculty Heights, June Benson, Kiwanis, Little Axe Center, McGeorge, Oakhurst, Reaves and Royal Oaks all offer picnic spots.

At Little Axe Center students may find themselves playing on the playground equipment, seeking shelter from a storm and playing on lighted ball fields and basketball courts. Reaves Park has perhaps the most attractions of the parks on the southeast side. With tennis courts, backstops, ball fields and basketball courts spread-out among Reaves' 79.9 acres, Reaves is the most fruitful of Southeast parks.

Perhaps the most peculiar is Edwards Park just off Main St. and Comanche Theater. Edwards Park is the only park located along the train tracks. The Santa Fe train depot is a spot on the trail fit for weddings, live drama performances and random concerts. Edwards park is not a park as much as a running trail, known as Legacy Trail, with pit stops. A bronzed miniature model represents the city of Norman circa 1919. Along with a map of the state on the ground, this section of the trail provides a place for numerous homeless individuals to sit on a bench and watch the trains go by.

For those looking for an open space for picnicking or Frisbee tossing, Boyd View, Classen Blvd. Between Lindsey and Drake St., has a two acre spread with gorgeous foliage and Frank Lloyd Wright-style houses to admire.

Southwest

Rotary park, Boyd St. and Wylie Rd., is one of the main parks in southwest Norman. The wayward student might indulge in tennis, basketball and baseball here.

Runners flock to Eagle Cliff off of Eagle Cliff Dr. to jog on the trail provided by the 8 acres of grounds. There are no fishing spots, disc golf courses or gazebos in the parks of southwest Norman, however.

There are more parks than can be listed in these pages. Norman's neighborhoods are scattered with gazebos and rest spots for those seeking the space. But to those fighting a bad case of boredom, I say, "go forth!" Throw a Frisbee, catch a tan in an open field, even write a book at one of Norman's peaceful parks. The City of Norman preserves these outdoor havens for recreational use by all summer students.
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