What are the hours at the I.R. Holmes Sr. Recreation Center at Campus Hills in Durham?

The center is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and it is closed on Sunday. The Campus Hills Wellness Center inside keeps a slightly narrower schedule, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Does the Campus Hills recreation center have a pool for kids?

Durham Parks and Recreation lists a pool at the site, but it runs on a seasonal schedule rather than year-round. Call (919) 560-4444 or check dprplaymore.org to confirm the current swim season, daily hours, age or supervision rules and any admission fee before you go.

Is it free to visit the I.R. Holmes Recreation Center with children?

The outdoor amenities, including the playground, athletic field and picnic shelter, are free, parking in the lot is free, and indoor walking is free Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7 to 9 a.m. Registered programs, camps, pool admission and room rentals are priced separately by Durham Parks and Recreation, so check the current fee schedule on the website.

Can we just drop in and use the gym at Campus Hills?

Sometimes, but not reliably. The gymnasium is also used for classes, camps, leagues and private rentals, so open play depends on the day's schedule. Call the center at (919) 560-4444 the morning of your visit if court time is the reason you are going.

Can you rent space at the Campus Hills recreation center for a kid's birthday party?

Yes. The gymnasium, multipurpose room, dance room and picnic shelter are all rentable by the hour through Durham Parks and Recreation. Reservations require at least 30 days advance notice plus a non-refundable application fee and a refundable damage deposit, and non-city residents pay a higher hourly rate. Confirm current rates and availability at (919) 560-4444.

I. R. Holmes, Sr. Recreation Center at Campus Hills

Name: I. R. Holmes, Sr. Recreation Center at Campus Hills
Address: 2000 S Alston Ave, Raleigh-Durham, NC, 27707, US
Telephone: (919) 560-4444
Rating: 4.6

Rating

4.6(16)

Family of 4

The outdoor pieces of the site, the playground, the picnic shelter and the athletic field, cost nothing, and parking in the center's lot is free.

Duration

1-2 hours

Best Ages

3-14

About

The I.R. Holmes, Sr. Recreation Center at Campus Hills sits on South Alston Avenue in southeast Durham, and it is the kind of place families use weekly rather than visit once.

Durham Parks and Recreation lists an unusually deep amenity set for a neighborhood center: a gymnasium, a fitness center, a playground, a picnic shelter, an athletic field, two racquetball courts and a pool. That mix is what makes it worth a detour. You can put a toddler on the playground, send a nine-year-old into the gym and still have something to do if the sky opens up.

Hours are the first thing to plan around, and they are not symmetrical. The building runs Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., which is generous, but Saturday is only 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday is closed entirely. If your family weekend rhythm is a lazy Sunday outing, this is not your spot. Saturday mornings are.

A few specific programs are worth knowing. The Campus Hills Wellness Center, open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, has cardio equipment including treadmills and recumbent bikes plus free weights and machines, so a parent can get a workout while an older kid shoots around.

Free indoor walking is offered Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7 to 9 a.m., which is a useful no-cost option in July humidity or a cold February drizzle when you have a baby in a carrier and a preschooler with energy to burn.

The pool is the field most parents ask about, and it is the field where you should call first. Durham runs its outdoor pool season on a published summer calendar with its own hours and admission rules, so confirm the current season, daily schedule and any fee with the center at (919) 560-4444 or at dprplaymore.org before you promise anyone a swim. The same goes for open gym: the gymnasium doubles as program and rental space, so drop-in basketball depends on the day's schedule.

On logistics, this is a single-level facility with a parking lot on site, so a stroller rolls in fine, though the playground surface and the field are a different story once you are outside. Nursing and diaper changing facilities are not documented publicly, so ask at the front desk rather than counting on them.

Rentals are straightforward but not spontaneous. The gym, multipurpose room, dance room and picnic shelter all rent by the hour with a non-refundable application fee, a refundable deposit and at least 30 days of advance notice, and non-city residents pay more. Lyon Park Playground is the nearest listed playground if you want a second stop.

Age Suitability

Infants (0-1)Toddlers (1-3)Little Kids (4-6)Big Kids (7-9)Tweens (10-12)Teens (13-17)

Parent Logistics

Stroller-Friendly

Yes

Nursing / Changing

Unknown

Kid Meals

N/A

Setting

Indoor & Outdoor

Rainy Day

Great option!

Plan Your Visit

Best Time to Visit

Weekday mornings, when the building opens at 6 a.m. and the after-school crowd has not arrived yet. Roughly 3 to 6 p.m. on school days is the busiest stretch. Saturday hours are short, 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., so treat Saturday as a morning trip. The center is closed Sunday.

Wait Times

No admission line to speak of. The wait here is for space rather than entry, since the gym, the fitness room and the two racquetball courts can be committed to classes, camps, leagues or private rentals. Call (919) 560-4444 the same day if you are counting on open court or gym time.

Nearby Food

There is no cafe or concession inside, so plan to eat before or after. Pack snacks for the picnic shelter, which is the easiest option with young kids. For a sit-down meal you are looking at a short drive: the Fayetteville Street corridor and downtown Durham to the north have the closest concentration of casual restaurants, and Farmside Kitchen is the nearest listed restaurant in our data, though it sits over toward Research Triangle Park rather than around the corner.

Why Kids Love It

This is a neighborhood center that actually has room to move. Kids get a full gymnasium for running and shooting, a playground and open field right outside the door, and a pool on site for the warm months, which is a rare combination for a facility this size. The two racquetball courts are the sleeper hit with big kids and tweens, since almost nobody their age has played before and the enclosed court makes even a bad rally feel like a win.

Pro Tips from Parents

Call (919) 560-4444 before you drive over if the gym is the point of the trip, because it doubles as program and rental space and open play is not guaranteed at any given hour
Note the Sunday closure and the short Saturday window of 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; weekday afternoons and evenings give you far more runway, since the building stays open until 9 p.m. Monday through Friday
The pool operates on a seasonal Durham Parks and Recreation schedule rather than year-round, so confirm the swim season, daily hours and any admission fee before you pack suits
The Campus Hills Wellness Center keeps its own hours, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, with cardio machines and free weights, so an adult can get a workout in while an older kid uses the gym
Facility rentals need 30 days of lead time and a deposit, so start the paperwork early if you want the room for a birthday party

What to Bring

Non-marking athletic shoes for the gym and racquetball courts
Your own basketball or racquetball gear, since loaner equipment is not guaranteed
Swimsuits and towels during the outdoor pool season
Refillable water bottles and snacks, because there is no cafe on site
Sunscreen and a picnic blanket for the playground, field and shelter side of the property

Cost Info

Partially free — some areas or times are free

Estimated Cost (Family of 4)

The outdoor pieces of the site, the playground, the picnic shelter and the athletic field, cost nothing, and parking in the center's lot is free.

Free indoor walking is offered Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7 to 9 a.

Beyond that, registered programs, camps and pool admission are priced separately by Durham Parks and Recreation and change by season, so call (919) 560-4444 or check dprplaymore.

org for current rates rather than assuming.

Rentals of the gym, multipurpose room, dance room or picnic shelter are billed hourly and carry a non-refundable application fee plus a refundable damage deposit, with reservations required at least 30 days ahead.

Tips to Save

Lean on the free layer first.
The playground, field and picnic shelter are open park amenities, and the 7 to 9 a.
m.
indoor walking window on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday is free, which makes this a no-cost rainy morning option if you have a walker or a baby in a carrier.
Durham Parks and Recreation prices most youth programs well below private club rates and runs financial assistance for residents, so ask the front desk what scholarship or reduced-fee options apply before you register.
If you are planning a birthday, compare the hourly picnic shelter rate against renting the multipurpose room, and remember non-city-resident rates run higher, which is worth knowing if you live outside Durham city limits.