It’s been a busy year for the Norwood Recreational Department. They recently renovated the tennis courts at the Coakley Middle School, and last month the refurbished Hawes pool reopened to the public. And to offer Norwood residents the opportunity to take part in the latest sports craze, the pickleball courts were redone last fall in conjunction with the Bob Ivatts Tennis Courts that were updated this spring. 

“Since they’ve opened, the courts have been a huge hit with our tennis community,” Superintendent of Recreation for Norwood Recreation Department Sam White said. “In addition to the youth tennis programs, the community has been at the courts every night.”

According to White, the tennis courts next to the Coakley Middle School were in need of some repair and updating and hadn’t had anything done to them in 40 plus years.

In the same vicinity of the tennis courts, Hawes pool opened last month. The Recreation Department usually uncovers the pool two weeks prior (early June) to allow the public to indulge in the facilities. Unfortunately, White and his co-workers found issues following the removal of the pool cover and took some extra taken time to rectify the problems.

“We found complications in the pump room due to a pipe freezing and eventually bursting,” White said. “With the complications, we had to get another pool pump and although we found one rather quickly we came across another issue with a corroded part and we needed to get an entirely new pump.”

The Rec Department secured the pump and installed it, however, having the pool cover removed and not functioning during June, a lot of pollen has gotten into the water and the elements have contaminated the pool and couldn’t allow the community into the water until it was treated and brought up to code. The Hawes pool was brought up to standards and the Norwood community finally got to experience and enjoy some summer fun. With the pool opening 12-7 p.m., daily, swimming lessons also started getting underway as well as open swimming for the residents when there are no lessons going on. 

While the tennis courts and pool are now functional, White noted that they have an on-going project behind Balch Elementary School where an architectural firm is working on fixing the bathroom house as well as installing a ramp from the parking lot to the fields as it is not ADA accessible. The superintendent is anticipating a fall completion. 

But no rest for the weary, the Recreation Department has just concluded another highly successful adult softball season, is in the middle of golf clinics, and in the upcoming months, will have the Norwood Stingray Swim Team getting underway, youth tennis programs, adult pickle ball, as well as a flag football league starting up in the fall. 

During the winter, Norwood’s famous floor hockey program, which has been in existence for over 40 years, will get underway in the Civic Center gymnasium. Residents can see all the programs the Recreation Department has to offer by visiting the Town of Norwood website, www.norwoodma.gov, click on the departments tab, and navigate to recreation.