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There is recreation for virtually every age group and interest in Nevada. Some of it will be new to newcomers from urban areas, who will find themselves enjoying exciting endeavors they may only have read about in the past. The community cherishes its youth, and that is obvious in the variety of recreational activities the area provides for its young people. Area youth enjoy a full array of tee-ball, softball, baseball, football and soccer programs. Those standard activities are complemented by a City Parks and Recreation department program that also offers swimming, tennis, and golf lessons. Young swimmers participate in a community swim team, the Neptunes, that compete throughout the area. Of particular interest to all recreational enthusiasts is our new YMCA-Osage Prairie branch facility. The location is staged on the North Campus site recently vacated by the removal of the Center Building of the former Nevada State School and Hospital.
The Parks and Rec Department operates a Community Center that provides both organized and "pick up" sports and recreation activities for youth and adults alike. All the Center’s programs are of minimal cost, easily affordable to area residents. In addition to the Community Center, we have 10 parks on over 200 acres, two public tennis courts, a beautiful 18-hole public golf course with driving range, and a new public water park. There also are hiking trails available in the park system. The passage of a special use sales tax earmarks funds for improved parks systems over the next 3 years as well as the new Neal Senior Center, which opened May, 2004.
Farm and city youth alike participate in activities such as 4-H. The annual Vernon County Youth Fair is a highlight of the summer, bringing rural and city youngsters and adults together for six days of fun-filled activities. The Nevada area is ideal for water enthusiasts. Stockton Lake is nearby. Its 24,900 acres of surface area and 300 miles of shoreline make it an excellent sailing lake. With water depths exceeding 90 feet in many places, the lake is developing a reputation with scuba diving enthusiasts.
In addition it offers unparalleled boating and fishing opportunities. Despite its natural beauty and abundant recreation opportunities, Stockton Lake’s distance from major metropolitan areas has enabled it to avoid over-development and commercialization. That makes it an especially inviting amenity for local residents. Two other superb Corps of Engineers lakes in the Ozarks Lakes system are located 60-90 minutes from Nevada. Truman and Pomme De Terre Lakes offer thousands of acres of largely undeveloped recreation areas. Sport fishermen acclaim the bass, crappie, catfish, and walleye fishing of the area lakes is nearly unsurpassed. The Lake of the Ozarks resort area is less than 100 miles to the east of Nevada, via US Highway 54. It offers a whole range of recreational and resort types of activities, entertainment, and outlet shopping.
The famous Branson, Missouri recreation and entertainment center, recognized as one of the nation’s leading tourist destinations, is 135 miles from Nevada. Nevadans participate in an array of sports and recreational activities many can only read about. The area’s rural setting provides for some of the finest quail, duck, rabbit, squirrel and deer hunting available. Local landowners generally are pleased to open their properties to considerate hunters who request proper permission and respect the hospitality extended to them. Schell-Osage Wildlife Area, August A. Busch, Jr. Memorial Wetlands, and Bushwhacker Lake offer outstanding natural settings for outdoor wildlife enthusiasts.
Tournament baseball has been brought to Nevada by developers of the Champion Diamonds complex. The complex has on-site housing, tournament level lighting, irrigated grass infields, batting tunnels, and fields set up for specific age play 9-18 years. Visitors from more than 14 states, numbering more than 10,000 per year, have been thrilled with the hometown atmosphere and excellent quality of the experience they’ve received. The Nevada Griffons continue to be a favorite hometown tradition, showcasing summer collegiate baseball players. As participants in the Jayhawk League, our teams have consistently placed well in the playoffs and given true fans a great adventure in baseball.
Horseback riding is experiencing a real revival in the Nevada area. The prevalence of open spaces and ability to gain access to boarding and riding on area farms and ranches combines for a pleasurable experience. The number one spectator sport, car racing, is alive and well in Nevada, too. Nevada Race Way, "the grand-daddy of dirt", is host to more than 30,000 fans a season for the last 38 years. The Race Way offers five classes of action-packed racing every Saturday evening from mid-April through September on its recently enlarged and improved track.
The Nevada Country Club offers yet additional recreational opportunities for area residents. Its outstanding nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool, and a dining room that offers some of the most enjoyable cuisine in the area, make it a pleasurable experience.
