Parks and Rec is more than just a television show. It’s an actual city department, and in Vicksburg, the Parks and Recreation Department is directed by Joe Graves.

Graves told the Lions Club at its weekly meeting about all the responsibilities of the job.

“We’ve been extremely busy,” he said.

Graves was enthusiastic about the possibilities for the city once a sports complex is established because it should offer soccer, baseball, softball, football, playgrounds, volleyball, basketball, yoga, weights and more.

“I think it’s going to work. We’ve just got to nail it down and get some things going,” he said, adding it might be the next city administration before momentum really picks up.

The little league baseball program has grown over the years and this year 405 children participated, which he said was more than some larger cities.

“Next year we’re looking to bring in 500 kids to play in our little league baseball,” Graves said. “That’s why the complex is important.”

He said having a complex will bring anywhere from 50 to 100 sports teams into town nearly every weekend at the purposed Fisher Ferry site.

“It brings in a lot of money to our community to put Vicksburg on the map athletically,” he said.

The recently expanded tennis facilities are also supposed to bring in new tournaments and people from all over Mississippi. Four news courts give the facility a total of 14 courts that are available for any age or skill level to use.

“We’ve got one of the top tennis facilities in the state,” Graves said.

Resurfacing projects will soon be underway for the parking lots at the Halls Ferry park and the Bazinsky baseball and girls’ softball fields. Neighborhood parks are being refurbished with rubber chips, and he said there are about four parks to go before the end of summer.

“We’re also in the process of buying new amenities, new swings, new benches, grills that we’ll be putting on our parks to replace some stuff that’s been there 15-20 years,” Graves said.

A new playground is planned for the Kings community near the new police precinct that is set to offer basketball courts, grills, picnic tables and playground equipment.

A half-mile walking trial is in the works for the Halls Ferry Park and is also a feature Graves is looking at bringing to the Porters Chapel park and possibly another one near the airport on U.S. Highway 61 South. A walking trail near the city pavilion area has already been installed.

If everything works out, he said, the Parks and Recreation Department’s budget for next year will be $3.5 million to fund these projects and more.

Parks and Recreation also oversees the Fourth of July program, the Senior Center, the skate board park and the city pool.