Director of Recreation
Joy Allen
P: (276) 525-1387
F: (276) 525-1309
E: jallen@washcova.com
Office Hours: M-F 8:30am – 5:00pm
Office Location:
Government Center Building
1 Government Center Place, Suite A
Abingdon VA, 24210
Programs Specialist
Sarah Petty
P: (276) 525-1385
F: (276) 525-1309
E: spetty@washcova.com
Office Hours: M-F 8:30am – 5:00pm
Office Location:
Government Center Building
1 Government Center Place, Suite A
Abingdon VA, 24210
Department of Recreation
The County Department of Recreation works enthusiastically year-round hosting a variety of youth and adult recreational opportunities. These include sports clinics, youth sports leagues, road races, summer day camps, classes and more. This department is responsible for the maintenance of County athletic fields and parks and also manages reservations for picnic shelters. We welcome and encourage your participation!
Childcare Programs
Summer Play Days operates during the summer at various Washington County elementary and middle schools. Hours of operation are 7:30 am – 5:30 pm. Rates are $60 per week ($12 per day) with some field trips at an additional fee. Each day we provide structured activities such as sports, arts and crafts, field trips, swimming, and lots of exciting visits from various outside organizations!
A registration date is set each year, with either online registration or on-site registration. For registration information, please contact Joy at (276) 525-1387 or jallen@washcova.com.
Adult Programs
Unless noted otherwise, all adult programs can be registered for by contacting Joy Allen at (276) 525-1387. Registration deadlines will be set by the Recreation Department and published in the Programs Brochure. Payment for adult programs can be mailed or delivered to the Recreation Department.
Youth Programs
Unless otherwise noted, registration for youth programs will be held at the location (school) of the program. Date and time will be set by the Recreation Department and published online as well as in the Programs Brochure. Payment for youth programs is due at the time of registration. If you can not attend the scheduled registration, please contact Joy Allen at (276) 525-1387.
The Department of Recreation does not sponsor youth baseball or softball leagues directly, but does coordinate with our local volunteer organizations. All baseball and softball programs are sanctioned through Little League Baseball, Inc., depending on location.
For information on local Little League programs in your area, please see the contact information below:
Abingdon Little League:
Online: Abingdonlittleleague.org or Facebook: Abingdon Little League
Washington County Little League (Bristol area)
Online: Facebook: Washington County Little League
Damascus Community Little League
Online: Damascuslittleleague1.com
Glade Area Little League
Online: Facebook: Glade Little League
The Department of Recreation does not sponsor youth soccer leagues directly, but does coordinate with our local volunteer organization, Southwest Virginia Rush. Information can be found online at:
https://www.swvarush.com/ or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swvarush/
Frequently Asked Questions
The Department of Recreation distributes a brochure quarterly through all schools in the county. Press releases are published in local newspapers and on local cable television to announce program offerings.
Fees vary depending on the program. All fees collected from program participants are deposited into the County General Fund. Fees for children’s programs range from $6.00 to $25.00 per program. Fees for adult programs range from $10.00 to $50.00 per program.
Yes. Please contact the Department of Recreation for details
The only youth sport programs that are directly operated by the Department of Recreation are the recreational youth basketball program in the Glade Spring / Meadowview area and the youth volleyball program in the Abingdon/Glade Spring/Meadowview area. All areas in Washington County are served by volunteer organizations which provide quality youth sports activities. All baseball and softball programs are sanctioned through Little League Baseball, Inc. Other sports available depending on location include soccer, football, basketball, wrestling, cheerleading, and dance teams. Please feel free to call the Department for contact numbers for the youth sports group in your area.
Recreational facilities are maintained by various groups within the County.The Harry Coomes Recreational Center is operated by the Town of Abingdon. The contact number is (276) 623-5279.The Virginia Creeper Trail is maintained by the Town of Abingdon. The Town of Damascus, volunteer organizations, and the National Forest Service.Washington County Park is operated by the Washington County Park Authority. The contact numbers are (276) 676-6215 or (276) 628-9677.Whitaker Hollow Park is maintained by the Washington County Recreation Department.Sugar Hollow Park is operated and maintained by the City of Bristol, VA Parks and Recreation Department. The contact number is (276) 645-7275.Other local parks and athletic fields are under the authority of the sponsoring town and/or athletic organization.
In 2000, Washington County entered into contract with Barge, Waggoner, Sumner, and Cannon of Knoxville, Tennessee for the completion of a recreational needs assessment study for the County. The study was completed in the fall of 2000. Washington County holds great potential for future development of a variety of recreational facilities, trails, and greenways.
Based on survey results, the order of most popular recreational locations is as follows:The Virginia Creeper Trail, The Harry Coomes Recreational Center, South Holston Lake, and Sugar Hollow Park.
