Lions Park

Navigate to 516 Dennis Avenue and use the signed Lions Park and Community Center parking. The 41.4-acre campus includes the Center, playgrounds, BMX track, courts, four fields, and shelter, so follow onsite destination signs and avoid nearby Saint Augustine's University or neighborhood spaces not marked for park use.

Use the Community Center address at 516 Dennis Avenue as the main visitor starting point. Staff can orient visitors toward the playgrounds, Capital City BMX, shelter, tennis and basketball courts, or the four ballfields, which are spread across one of Raleigh's larger metro parks.

Yes. The staffed Community Center provides indoor visitor facilities during its operating hours. Outdoor courts, fields, the BMX track, and seasonal lighting may be active on different schedules, so handle restroom needs before the Center closes and ask staff about event-day facilities.

The Community Center is open 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, and 1-6 p.m. Sunday. Outdoor park areas are generally used dawn to dusk. Tennis lighting runs from dusk to 10 p.m. from March through November, while programs, fields, BMX events, and indoor facilities follow their own schedules.

General park admission, playground use, and available casual outdoor court use are free. Community Center classes, $12 monthly adult fitness-room membership, BMX racing, gym or room rentals, shelter reservations, and organized field use may charge. Current rental rates and nonresident surcharges should be confirmed before booking.

The Center, paved parking, indoor gym and restrooms, hard-surface courts, and both rubber-surface playgrounds provide the most predictable developed access. A rubber surface does not confirm that every play component is independently accessible, and the BMX dirt track is specialized terrain. Contact the Center for exact routes or accommodations.

Lions Park has separate playground areas designed for ages 2-5 and 5-12, both with rubber safety surfacing. The City's newer photos show climbing and sliding structures, swings, and outdoor play instruments. Use the age-appropriate area and supervise children because the surrounding campus also has active courts, roads, fields, and BMX activity.

Lions Park is home to Capital City BMX, a purpose-built dirt racing track. It is not an ordinary paved bicycle loop: riding, practice, races, equipment rules, waivers, fees, and weather closures are managed through Capital City BMX. Check the current racing information before bringing a bike or promising track access.

There are eight outdoor tennis courts and a practice backboard. Courts are typically first-come, first-served unless scheduled use has priority. Timer-controlled lighting operates from dusk to 10 p.m. from March through November, so winter evening availability is more limited.

Yes. Lions Park has two concrete outdoor basketball courts with lighting. The Community Center also has an air-conditioned wood-floor gym with six sets of bleachers, capacity listed around 100-250, and a current rental rate of $85 per hour. Indoor play depends on programs, open-play schedules, or reservations.

The park has four lighted fields: two softball fields at approximately 300 and 317 feet, a 264-foot youth baseball field that can also support softball, and a 350-foot regulation baseball field. Approved rentals and leagues have priority, and weather can close fields independently of the rest of the park.

Yes. The shelter is listed for about 60-100 people with six tables, two grills, no electricity, and a current rate of $20 per hour. Requests require staff approval and payment confirmation, and a 25 percent nonresident surcharge may apply to the hourly rental rate.

Yes. The adults-only fitness room includes a treadmill, elliptical, stationary bike, universal weight machine, and a set of free weights. The City currently lists membership at $12 per month for adults 18 and older. Ask the front desk about orientation, supervision, and current access hours.

Yes. A 2025 Bike Month mural is located on the picnic shelter beside the playground and Community Center, and the Center also contains mosaic artwork. The shelter mural can be seen during an ordinary park visit, but respect any active reservation while viewing or photographing it.