E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park

Updated June 11, 2025

E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park Photo Gallery-City of Northglenn

## E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park (Northglenn, Colorado): what it’s actually good for

If you want a classic Front Range “do-a-lot-in-one-stop” city park, E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park is one of Northglenn’s biggest draws: a sizable green space built around Webster Lake, with a strong mix of walkable paths, family play zones, sports areas, public art, and seasonal events.

What makes it stand out isn’t one single “wow” feature—it’s the way the park layers options so different groups can share the same space without stepping on each other’s vibe.

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## Fast facts you can plan around

– Park hours: 5:00am–10:00pm
– Size: 28 acres
– Core features (confirmed by the City of Northglenn): pavilion(s), playground, picnic tables, restrooms, sports areas, fishing, pedal boat/kayak rental, self-guided tour, and proximity to Don Anema Memorial Skatepark.
– Location notes (important): the city lists the park’s west-side access as east of City Hall at 11701 Community Center Drive, while the park listing elsewhere on the same city site shows 11800 Community Center Drive for the park address. Treat this as a navigation mismatch and confirm your entrance/parking in your map app.

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## What to do here (beyond “take a walk”)

### 1) Do the lake loop + wildlife watching (Webster Lake)
The park’s identity is tied to Webster Lake—it’s the visual anchor and the reason you’ll see so many people doing relaxed laps, stopping at benches, and scanning the waterline. The city explicitly calls out pedal boats on Webster Lake with ducks and geese nearby.

Practical tip: If you’re coming for birds, keep your distance and don’t feed them—feeding or harassing wildlife is prohibited in Northglenn parks.

### 2) Pedal boat and kayak rental (when it’s operating)
Northglenn lists pedal boat and kayak rental as a park feature, and also clarifies that boats are generally prohibited except for city-owned pedal boats on Webster Lake (plus maintenance activities). That combination strongly suggests the rental program is the primary on-water option for visitors.

Verify before you go: operating days/hours for rentals can be seasonal and are not stated on the main park page excerpt above, so check the city’s current updates close to your visit.

### 3) Playground time + picnic logistics (low friction for groups)
The city confirms playground, picnic tables, restrooms, and a pavilion—the four ingredients that make parks workable for multi-hour hangs with kids, grandparents, or anyone who needs predictable breaks.

If you’re planning a bigger get-together, the city points pavilion reservations to Parks & Recreation (and provides a department contact for private events).

### 4) Sports and skate energy—without turning the whole park into a sports complex
Sports facilities listed include multi-sport fields and basketball. The park page also directly links to Don Anema Memorial Skatepark, indicating skate use is part of the wider “active recreation” footprint here.

This is a nice design choice for mixed groups: some people can move, others can lounge, and nobody has to relocate just to switch activities.

### 5) Art and “small discoveries” (surprisingly easy to miss)
E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park isn’t only grass + play equipment. The city lists sculpture, references Art on Parade, and names specific pieces/features (including “2 Gateways” and “Tentabowl”).

If you like parks with a little cultural texture, this is your cue to slow down and actually look around instead of defaulting to a single loop.

### 6) Self-guided tour (the underrated way to make it more interesting)
Northglenn promotes a seasonally changing self-guided tour designed for strolling at your own pace while learning about features like wildlife, plants, and ecosystems (with kiosks).

This is especially useful if you’re visiting with kids who need “missions,” or if you’re the kind of traveler who likes context—not just scenery.

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## Events: when the park turns into a community venue
The city lists major events hosted here, including:
– Pirate Fest
– July 4th Festival
– Derby Day
– Summer Concert Series
– Summer Movie Series

Reality check: event schedules can change year to year. Treat these as “this is the kind of programming the park hosts,” then confirm dates/times before you build a trip around them.

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## Rules that matter (so you don’t accidentally get shut down)
Northglenn’s park rules include (not exhaustive):
– No smoking or vaping
– No unleashed pets (off-leash is only allowed at the designated dog park elsewhere in the city)
– No glass containers
– No swimming, wading, or being on winter ice
– No overnight parking
– No feeding or harassing wildlife
– No alcohol without a permit (and other permit-based restrictions for amplified sound, vending, etc.)

These policies are worth knowing because several are common “gotchas” for visitors who assume lakes = swimming or that quiet e-scooter-style mobility is automatically fine everywhere.

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## A quick note on the park’s name and memorial purpose
The City of Northglenn states the park was originally called Webster Park and was renamed in 1985 after Cpl. Edgar B. Rains Jr., identified as the first and only Northglenn police officer to fall in the line of duty.

If you’re traveling with kids (or you’re simply curious), this context helps the park feel like more than a recreational asset—it’s also a civic memorial space.

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## Two relevant internal links on RealJourneyTravels.com
– E.B. Rains Jr. Memorial Park listing: https://www.realjourneytravels.com/places/e-b-rains-jr-memorial-park/ Journey Travels
– Boondocks Food and Fun (Northglenn) listing: https://www.realjourneytravels.com/places/boondocks-food-and-fun-northglenn/ Journey Travels

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## Outdated-data flags (what to double-check)
Even with official sources, these items can change:
– Seasonal operations (especially lake rentals and event programming).
– Which entrance/address your GPS prefers (11701 vs 11800 Community Center Drive appears in city materials).

If you want, paste the exact snippet fields your CMS expects (e.g., parking, accessibility notes, fees, pet policy) and I’ll format a clean “Visitor Info” block using only what’s confirmed from the city sources above.

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