Volunteer with Parks and Recreation

Dance Your Socks Off

• 2024 Volunteer Dates
  • January 19
  • February 16
  • March 22
  • April 19

Volunteer shift times: Fridays 6 - 9 p.m.
Location: Creekside Community Center
Information: Support and encourage adults with disabilities and dance the night away! Volunteers may assist with check-in, refreshments, and dance floor supervision.

Adult Adaptive Softball Volunteer (summer)

Volunteer shift times: Tuesdays 6:30 - 8:15 p.m.
Program Dates:  June 18 - August 6, 2024
Location: Tarnhill Park*
Information: Support and encourage adult players with disabilities as they develop softball skills.
Application Information: To apply, fill out a Parks and Rec volunteer application. 

*At the conclusion of the season, there is a special “Under the Lights game scheduled at Red Haddox Field. Co-Rec adult will play on August 6. 

The Farmer’s Market gives volunteers an opportunity to experience the local food system, learn about the Minnesota growing season, and develop a relationship with the Bloomington community. This is an ideal opportunity for community members who are passionate about the farmers market, want to be more active in their community, or are interested in learning more about event planning and logistics.

• Set Up 7 - 8 am: Help set up market tables, chairs,directional signs and information booth. 
• Event Support 9 am - 12 pm:  - Assist with daily market activities. Conduct attendance counts for 10 minutes every hour. 
• Take Down 1 - 2 pm:  - Help take down market directional signs and information booth. Light clean-up duties like wiping down tables and sorting trash bins as assigned.

To apply, fill out a Parks and Rec volunteer application. 

Looking for a group volunteer project? Want to help beautify outdoor spaces in Bloomington? Parks Maintenance and Parks and Recreation have opportunities for you! Projects include park clean-ups, park adoption, buckthorn removal, and other park enhancements. 

To apply, fill out a Parks and Rec volunteer application or if you have questions or need additional information, contact: 

Parks and Recreation Department
952-563-8877 | MN Relay 711 | volunteer@BloomingtonMN.gov

Working together to sustain great parks in Bloomington for all to enjoy today and many years into the future!

Would your neighborhood park benefit from new trees?  The City recently received a grant from Hennepin County to partner with residents to plant trees in select parks east of France Avenue. Get involved and help plant trees as part of the resident-led Park TreeCovery Program! 

What kind of trees will be planted?

• The trees typically have 1 to 1 ½ inch trunks.
• Varieties will include River Birch, American Linden, Imperial Locust, Bur Oak, White Oak, Prairie Expedition Elm, Kentucky Coffee Tree, and several more.  

How many trees will be planted?

• There are a total of 45 trees available on a first come, first served basis.
• Two to eight trees will be planted in each park, depending on park size.

Where will the trees be planted?

Ten parks have been identified for TreeCovery planting.

• Northcrest Park, 3500 West 81st Street
• Penn Lake Park, 1925 West 86th Street
• Barthel’s Pond, 2700 West 93rd Street
• Dupont Playlot, 8807 Dupont Avenue S. 
• Valley View Playfield, 9000 Portland Avenue S. (near Bloomington Family Aquatic Center)
• Maplewood Park, 131 East 95th Street
• Gene Kelly Playfield, 185 East 102nd Street (southwest corner of park)
• Eight Crest Park, 8836 18th Avenue S.
• Wright’s Lake Park, 8501 17th Avenue S.
• River Ridge Playlot, 8715 River Ridge Road

When will tree planting take place?

October and November 2023

What role will volunteers play?

Resident volunteers will:

• Plant the trees.
• Commit to watering and caring for the trees for two years.
• The program seeks to identify 2-4 volunteers per park.
• If you’ve never planted a tree before, don’t worry, City staff will help (see below)

What role will the City play?

Staff from the Park Maintenance Division of the Parks and Recreation Department will:

• Deliver the trees.
• Provide mulch.
• Dig the planting holes.
• Provide tree watering buckets.

How can residents get involved?

If you are interested in participating in the TreeCovery program, contact Bloomington Neighbors Nurturing Nature by email at BloomingtonNNN@gmail.com or online at BloomingtonNNN.org. 

NOTE: TreeCovery volunteers are not being managed via the City's online volunteer system. Please use the links above to participate in this program.

Bloomington Neighbors Nurturing Nature is an independent 501c(3) organization that is partnering with the City of Bloomington on the Park TreeCovery Program.

Historic Gideon and Agnes Pond House, located in Pond Dakota Mission Park, 401 E. 104th Street, offers tours where visitors can learn about Gideon and Agnes Pond and the Dakota people among whom they lived as missionaries during the mid-nineteenth century. Guests at Pond House experience life in early Bloomington at monthly hands-on history programs and lectures. More info can be found on the Pond House web page. 

To apply for volunteer opportunities at Pond House, fill out a Parks and Rec volunteer application.  

Bloomington Parks and Recreation offers a variety of special events throughout the year. Volunteers are needed to assist with the activities below.

• Halloween Event - Volunteers will assist at our City-wide Halloween party on October 31 with a variety of tasks including greeting, supervising games, etc.

To apply, fill out a Parks and Rec volunteer application. If you are current volunteer with Parks and Recreation, please contact Parks and Recreation at 952-563-8877 or volunteer@BloomingtonMN.gov to participate.

Bloomington Parks and Recreation offers an excellent opportunity for teens 13+ or entering 8th grade in the fall to get involved and make a difference in their community by volunteering within a variety of summer youth programs. Summer Teen volunteers assist with activities under the guidance of experience staff and gain valuable leadership skills. Volunteers are selected through an application and interview process. Volunteers serve in a two-week session in their selected program. Volunteers are able to select to volunteer in more than one program. In the summer, teens can apply to volunteer in the following programs:

Summer Adventure Playground Volunteers

• Volunteer shift times: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
• Program Dates: June 17 - August 8 (No programming July 1 - 5);
  • Volunteers are assigned to two-week sessions.
• Location(s): Various park locations throughout Bloomington
• Information: Help facilitate opportunities to play and lead playground participants (in grades 1 - 7) in games, sports, arts and crafts, and make new friendships. Program includes occasional field trips.

Camp Kota JC Volunteers

• Volunteer shift times: Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 3:15 p.m. + Thursday evening program
• Two Sessions Available:
  • Session 1: July 8 - 19 
  • Session 2: July 22 - August 2
• Location: East Bush Lake
• Information: Help campers learn basic outdoor skills while meeting new friends, singing crazy songs and having tons of fun.

Application 

• Fill out a Parks and Recreation Volunteer Application. Please be sure to answer all required questions and indicate all program(s) and session(s) of interest.  Please note email addresses ending ISD271.org typically do not accept emails from outside the school district.  Please use an alternate email address on your application.
• Deadline to apply – May 31, 2024. Applicants will be contacted via email with next steps after this date. 

Love trees?  Want to help save them from invasive pests?  Become a Wasp Watcher!  Wasp Watchers is a citizen science project that engages volunteers in the biosurveillance of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).  Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive wood boring beetles that has destroyed tens of millions of ash trees in over 20 states.  It is currently found in 11 counties in Minnesota and has the potential to have an enormous impact on both city and forest landscapes.  With the help of a harmless ground-nesting wasp (Cerceris fumipennis) that hunts wood-boring beetles like EAB, we can monitor for the presence of these destructive invasive beetles.  The female Cerceris wasps hunt for beetles in the trees and bring their prey back to their nest holes in the ground to feed to their offspring.  An observer can easily watch a wasp colony and collect their beetle prey to check for EAB presence.  Volunteering is easy and fun and really makes a difference for our wonderful Minnesota forests.

To learn more visit: z.umn.edu/waspwatchers or emeraldashborer.info

Contact the Wasp Watchers Program Coordinator, Jennifer Schultz at 612-301-8310 or schultzj@umn.edu

How the City of Bloomington is fighting the Emerald Ash Borer

Volunteer as an usher and experience great performances at Bloomington Center for the Arts in person.

Download, print and share the Usher Volunteer flyer.

Thank you for considering ushering and other volunteer opportunities with Bloomington Parks and Recreation.