West Side Recreation & Parks District

Hours of Operation:
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The District offers a wide range of facilities and activities for everyone. Soft ball leagues, senior nutrition, program, summer activities for school age children, dancing lessons, pre-school, disc golf, parks, basket ball and soccer leagues, instructional activities but to name a few. Unfortunately the Districts main fitness facility burned down in 2008. Plans are in the works to rebuild a bigger and better facility when the location is finalized. Contact the District office for reserving their reception facilities and any rental equipment needs you may have.

The Taft Community Center facilities are available to the public on a rental basis. Organizations, groups and individuals are welcome to use the facilities for meetings, receptions and other gatherings. Available areas include the assembly room, auditorium, kitchen, conference room and arts & craft (preschool) room.

District Facilities

Taft's first-class concrete Skate Park is located near the corner of 10th and Kern Streets in the southeast corner of the Community Center Park. The skate facility, which is 12,000 square feet in size, includes a drop-in, rails, half-pipe, pyramid, flat banks and transitions as well as grinding rails, benches, and curbs. The Skate Park is fenced with surrounding grass, trees, lights and restroom facility. The Skate Park is non-supervised and free of charge. All skaters are required to wear helmets. Bikes and scooters are not allowed. The Skate Park closes nightly at 10:00 p.m.

This 27-acre park includes three lighted softball diamonds, a BMX/Motocross track, several picnic sites with barbecues, two new playground areas, 18-hole disc golf course, three group picnic pavilions, a 400 capacity parking lot, over 300 shade trees, two restroom facilities and a concession building. The complex is used for softball leagues and tournaments, instructional baseball and soccer, and special events. The softball diamonds are available on a first come, first serve basis unless advance reservations have been made. The picnic pavilions are also available on the same basis.

'A' Street Park is a seven acre park located on the corner of 'A' Street and Hillard Street in Taft across from Parkview School. The park is fully accessible and has two covered pavilions, lighted basketball courts, two practice baseball diamonds, off-street parking, restroom facilities, and a new playground. The pavilions and practice diamonds are available on a first-come, first-serve basis unless advance reservations have been made.

Camp Condor is the premier facility at the Westside Mountain Park. We offer a summer program for children six to fourteen years of age. In addition, we offer the facility to private parties and youth group

The Walter Glenn Natatorium is the District's premier swimming pool facility. The facility consists of two pools, a concession stand, and locker rooms.

One pool is for children and beginning swimmers and has a depth of 1-3 feet. The second is a 35x20-yard pool with a depth ranging from 3 to 12 feet.

The newest addition to the facility is a water slide and water park area for young and old alike. The pool is equipped with state of the art filtration and chlorination equipment.

Currently, the Department administers 40 neighborhood parks, 8 regional parks, and performs landscape maintenance at 76 county buildings. Further, it administers use of 28 public buildings and the 3 county golf courses.