News Flash

April 19, 2021 - Several offices and services in Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Services that were once closed because of the pandemic are now open or plan to reopen in the next few weeks. Other city departments and services are also reopening. If the department, office or service you’re interested in isn’t listed below, or if you need more information,  please call that department or the 3-1-1 Citizen Contact Center (726-8311):

Updated May 3, 2021

Open in Parks: 

• Air Power Park Museum
• Athletic fields for practice and game play under Virginia High School League and new Virginia guidelines ( less than 500 spectators) 
• Basketball courts
• Bluebird Gap Farm
• BMX Track at Gosnold’s Hope Park
• Buckroe comfort station
• Community centers, for fitness activities and room rentals only, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday (opened May 3)
  Includes Fort Monroe, North Phoebus, Northampton, and West Hampton community centers 
• Community Gardens
• Darling Stadium (under guidance for sports arenas, at reduced capacity)
• Dog parks
• Fishing at Armistead Pointe and Sandy Bottom Nature Park
• Golf courses and facilities
• Hampton Clean City Commission activities
• Hampton History Museum
• Hampton Senior Center, 8:30 a.m-4 p.m. Monday-Friday (open May 3)
• Hampton Tennis Center
• James T. Wilson Fishing Pier 
• Parks, trails, and open spaces
• Playgrounds
• Pools
  • Hampton Aquatic Center (for limited lap lanes by appointment Monday-Thursday. Scheduled team practices currently permitted.) To make an appointment, go online under “Facility Rentals; call 757-727-6831 (Fort Monroe Community Center) or 757-766-1510 (Hampton Aquatic Center); or reserve a lane in person at the site. Reservations, for one-hour slots, can be made 24 hours in advance. Fort Monroe pool is closed until further notice.
• Sandy Bottom Nature Park facility, campsites, picnic shelters, and kayak/boat rentals available (Yurts to remain closed)
• Shelter rentals in all parks for under 25 per Shelter or under 100 in River Birch Shelter at Gosnold’s Hope Park
• Special event permit applications and park rental for private/invitation-only social gatherings of  less 100 persons and sporting events (under separate guidance) at this time; No “Open to the Public” Events
• Volleyball courts
• War Memorial Stadium (under state guidance for sports arenas at 30% capacity)
• Woodlands Skate Park

 Closed for the season, but opening soon:  

• Beaches (opening Memorial Day, Saturday, May 29)
• Hampton Carousel (opening June 1)
• Therapeutic Recreation Center for Summer Camp, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (camp opening June 22)

Weddings, graduations: Although large-scale citywide festivals remain cancelled at this time, outdoor event permit applications for events such as private weddings and graduation celebrations are being accepted now for events with fewer than 100 attendees.  Picnic shelters are available for rental under social-distancing capacities, generally at 25 per shelter, with the exception of the larger River Birch Shelter at Gosnold’s Hope Park which can safely hold up to 100 persons under distancing guidelines.  

Also reopened:

• Hampton Public Library
• Hampton History Museum

 Closed Until Further Notice:

• Junior Ranger Camp at Sandy Bottom Nature Park
• Neighborhood Centers (USDA “Grab & Go” feeding program continues)
• Outdoor public events 
  • Only private, invitation-only events with fewer than 100 people are permitted at this time; no “open to the public” events
• Yurt rentals at Sandy Bottom Nature Park