It’s an Edmonds Parks, Recreation and Human Services Kind of Day? Not exactly bumper-sticker worthy, but it’s true today. As always, I screenshot items I want to share each week ahead of the column and this batch has been social media posts, emails, and My Edmonds News stories that lead to RecZone.org. There are Yost Park updates, mom-friendly workouts and non-student day camps!

Let’s start with Yost Park. It was announced that Bridge #6 will be closed indefinitely after “a structural engineer recommended closing due to scouring and erosion of the abutments underneath.” After scanning the map attached to the announcement, I walked back my assertion that taking a weekly walk in the park has made me an expert on the park’s trails. I could not place the closure, likely because I catergorize locations by things like, that place I got dive-bombed by a hummingbird, the intersection where the red-breasted sapsuckers and brown creepers are, and “the hill.” When I finally got into the park for my weekend walk, I was so happy to see that those of us who use the boardwalks to make a loop, including so many early morning families, can reroute and still make a loop. I was sort of hoping to skip “the hill” as a silver lining to the closure, but the ol’ walk partner won’t hear it.

The next two Park and Rec offerings can definitely enhance your enjoyment of a walk in Yost Park. Those 12 and up can enjoy a class on Backyard Birds Oct. 19 or Owls and Raptors Nov. 9, held at the Edmonds Waterfront Center. The Backyard Birds offering is designed to “enhance your understanding and appreciation of common birds and improve your ability to identify them.” The instructor will cover the “basics of anatomy, migration, reproduction, foods and foraging.” The class is described as being “designed for adult beginning birders” but children ages 12-plus are welcome.

In Owls and Raptors, you have a chance to learn about the “the most common owls, hawks and eagles that live here at different times of the year — or all year long.” Just last week, we heard a barred owl making a lot of noise on our walk and it is always such a thrill. One of the park’s resident birders has shown us where to expect to see the owls and raptors that live in the park, though in my experience, the crows are the most dependable way to find an owl in the park. For more information and registration, you can visit RecZone.org.

There are two options for activity where you can bring your little ones. Zumba Moms & Kids and Mamma Barre at the Frances Anderson Center. Zumba Moms & Kids allows you to  “bring your little ones with you to play and dance while you get a total workout, combining all elements of fitness — cardio, muscle conditioning, balance and flexibility, boosted energy and a serious dose of awesome each time you leave class.” All ages and dance levels are welcome to this class!

Mamma Barre invites you to “bring your baby or little one with you and come take this modified barre/mat class.” While the class includes basic barre exercises, the class was “created with the intention to help build a community for mamas to come together, move their bodies and make new friendships!” Participants must be released by their doctor for exercise and they consider the “baby” age range to be from roughly 2 months to 5-6 years old. Information and registration for both classes can be found on, you guessed it, RecZone.org.

There are two non-student days on the horizon in the Edmonds School District, and Edmonds Parks and Recreation is offering two camps for those ages 7 to 11. On Friday, Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., campers can enjoy Owls Of Edmonds Day Camp. This is a chance for the younger set to learn about “the seven species of owls that call Edmonds home,” much like the option at the Waterfront Center. Among other fun activities, campers will “get to “Dissect an owl pellet to discover what this predator has been eating.”

On Wednesday, Nov. 23, the day before Thanksgiving, campers in the same age range can take Furry Friends Day Camp. Campers will investigate how the mammals that live in our area have adapted to survive in our local parks. They will examine pelts and skulls, learn how to search for and identify tracks, and take a walk to a local park to see what animals they can find. For more information and registration, you can, of course, visit RecZone.org.

— By Jennifer Marx

Jen Marx, an Edmonds mom of two boys, is always looking for a fun place to take the kids that makes them tired enough to go to bed on time.