Upper Clements Parks

Why is the library writing about Upper Clements Parks? For the past 6 years, the park has been our Summer Reading Club (SRC) partner. They have very generously donated a FastPass for every SRC participant that finishes their reading goal. For kids, that is 10 or 20 hours, and for teens, it is 25 hours. The full-price cost of a FastPass is $28.50 plus tax. Last year we gave out 1,934 passes to readers across the Valley. You do the math – that is a big donation, and we certainly do appreciate the support that Upper Clements Parks has given us to make our Summer Reading Club so popular! 

A day at the park is a great reward for reading. There's lots to do in the park – rides, games, music, magic shows. The rides that I hear the most about are the Flume and the Roller Coaster, but I personally enjoy the Carousel and the Train (I've never been a fan of having my stomach rearranged). There are plenty of choices for young kids, and for teens and adults, too. There are great places to have lunch (the fries at the train station are really good), there's cotton candy and ice cream, a lovely fruit stand, and it is a really nice place to stroll around and enjoy the outdoors. There are active attractions, too, like the zip line and mini-golf, a ball pit, and climbing towers.  (The FastPass does not get you into the Adventure Park that opened this year, and looks like a whole lot of fun for you fit adventurous types!)

My tips for those who are coming for the first time? Bring plenty of water and sunscreen, and plan to take breaks, especially if you have young children. Get one of the maps when you enter the park and plan your day. Explain to your kids that there are height restrictions on some rides, so the littlest won't be able to go on everything -- doing this beforehand might save a few tears. Wear comfy clothes, and good walking shoes because you'll be doing a lot of that! There may be long lines for the most popular rides; bring a book to read aloud while you wait. There are water attractions, so bring a towel or a change of clothes if you don't want to walk around dripping. Make a big deal of the fact that your children earned this reward by reading -- they should be proud! And don't forget to have fun.

So finish up that Summer Reading Club reading, and get your SRC FastPass before August 18 (that's when our Summer Reading Club ends, not when the park closes for the season).  Come see us at Word in the Park on August 18 and 19, when you can do a Scavenger Hunt in the Park and win a book, as well as do our StoryWalk.  You can find out more about the park by visiting their website.  See you in the park! 

-Angela J. Reynolds, Head of Youth Services