One of Grand Island's most popular recreational meeting places virtually splits the community in half.

The Beltline Hiker/Biker Trail which runs from Cherry and Sutherland streets on the east side of Grand Island to Henry Street in the southwest, where it links with the Grand Island City Cemetery, which has its own paved track for walkers and bikers is a busy thruway when the weather is cooperative and sometimes when it isn't. The four-mile trail is a haven for citizens seeking a long ride or a short walk.

For those interested, another trail heads south from Stolley Park Road within a half-block of the City Cemetery for a mile to Central Community College and another mile to Hall County Park.

The community also has a hike-and-bike trail in the west part of town. It runs from Shoemaker Elementary School to State Street.

Another popular site for walkers, bikers and joggers is Hall County Park, located just south of Grand Island on Schimmer Drive. The blacktop surface in the mostly-shaded park is nearly a mile in distance.

Just north of Grand Island, at the junction of Airport Road and Highway 281, is Eagle Scout Park. It is also a mile around this park, which attracts many outdoor-oriented people young and old walkers, joggers, bikers and anglers.

An active bicycling community meets regularly on Tuesdays for no-drop rides in the Grand Island area.

Wayne Cyclery, 309 N. Pine in Grand Island, is the site where bikers meet for the rides. All bikers meet at 6:30 p.m.

For more information on regular bicycle rides, scheduled events and contact people, call Wayne Cyclery at 382-4223 or check out the Web site at www.waynecyclery.com.

The Grand Island YMCA also holds group cycling (spinning) classes throughout the week.

Swimming is also a popular activity in Grand Island.

The most popular "swimming hole" in Grand Island is the Island Oasis water park, just east of South Locust Street and on Fonner Park Road. It features a large wave pool, lazy river, children's area and several water slides of various lengths and angles and attracts many visitors from outside Grand Island throughout the summer.

The second outdoor public pool is Lincoln Park, which offers a water slide and diving area. It is located in Lincoln Park at East Eighth and Beal.

Finally, swimmers can go to the YMCA year-round. Members can swim free during open pool hours; non-members can swim after paying a minimal fee.

There are four wading pools located at Stolley Park, Pier Park, Lincoln Park and Grace Abbott Park.

Fishing is another highly popular activity in the Grand Island area.

Three of the best areas for fishing are Eagle Scout Lake (see above), Mormon Island State Recreation Area and L.E. Ray Lake. Kids and seniors may also fish at Pier Park Lake in east-central Grand Island, and a fairly new fishing area is Suck's Lake, located off Harrison Street and south of Anna Street.

Some anglers also try their luck catfishing in the Platte River.

Camping is available for those who enjoy time in the outdoors.

Mormon Island, at the intersection of Highway 281 and Interstate 80, is one of three camping areas in Hall County. The state recreation area has 49 sites for campers 15 tent sites, 25 30-amp sites and nine 50-amp sites. A state park entry permit is also required.

Hall County Park is a popular campground at Highway 281 and Schimmer Drive.

A third county campsite is the Cheyenne State Recreation Area at the Wood River exit off Interstate 80. It also requires a state park permit, which costs $20 for the year or $4 for a day.

The Grand Island KOA (Kampgrounds of America) is not located in Hall County, but the camping site is nearby at the I-80 Exit 318 east of Grand Island. Kamping Kabins are available, as well as full-hookup facilities and tent sites.

Other outdoor, competitive or recreational sporting and fitness activities in Grand Island include:

* Baseball Grand Island Little League (Grand Island Youth Baseball) has its office at 111 W. Fourth. Baseball is available for youths ages 4 and up. Games are held at several sites in Grand Island; games for the older youth are played at Ashley Field and Pier Park.

Grand Island has four American Legion baseball teams.

There also is a separate baseball league which serves youths ages 5-12 in the northwest sector of the city. Games are held at George Park and the fields at the United Methodist Church.

* Bowling Grand Island has two bowling alleys. Super Bowl is located at the intersection of Bismark Road and Cherry Street, and Westside Lanes is at 112 Kaufman Ave.

* Gymnastics The Grand Island Twisters Gymnastics School offers lessons and the chance to be on a competitive team. The school is at 321 Stagecoach Road.

* Health clubs The city has three health club facilities other than the YMCA.

The Health Plex Fitness Center, at 2909 W. Highway 30, has been in existence for 25 years. It is a co-ed facility that offers all kinds of training programs for all ages of men and women. Curves for Women, located at 3537 W. 13th St., and Ladies Workout Express, at 2215 N. Webb Road, offer circuit training for women, among other features.

* Racquetball The YMCA, 221 E. South Front St., has five courts, which can be reserved.

* Roller skating Skate Island is located at 2310 N. Webb Road.

* Soccer The Health Plex Racquet Center, 2204 Bellwood Drive, has one indoor field. The Grand Island Soccer Club for youth ages four to 19 provides 11 outdoor fields at the Fonner Park Sports Complex. The Webb Road Athletic Fields located at 1212 S. Webb Road has outdoor fields used by two soccer leagues. The YMCA Youth Soccer League serves children ages three through the eighth grade and offers both spring and fall sessions. The Hispanic Soccer League serving all nationalities has mainly adult teams; it also has some youth teams for ages nine through 12.

* Skateboarding The skate park, located in Pier Park, has become a favorite meeting place for skateboarders, rollerbladers and bicyclists.

* Skeet and trap shooting The new skeet range, the Heartland Public Shooting Park, is located near the intersection of Husker Highway and the Alda Road, in the southeast corner of the former Cornhusker Army Ammunition Plant land. The range features sporting clays, skeet and trap shooting and rifle and pistol berms. The shooting park, a public facility, also has a picnic area and "clubhouse."

* Softball The Grand Island Softball Association offers men's, women's and coed teams, which compete in slow-pitch leagues. The teams compete at the Fonner Park fields, 700 E. Stolley Park Road. Coed teams also play games at Ryder Park, located on West Lincoln Highway.

Men's and women's fast-pitch teams compete at the Platt-Duetsche, 1315 W. Anna.

Girls youth teams compete in five city classes at the Bob Sorensen Softball Complex, located in Ryder Park. It offers softball for girls 5 through 18 in and around the Grand Island area.

Northwest Grand Island also offers softball for girls ages 5 through 12 in and around the Grand Island area.

* Stock car racing Mid-Nebraska Speedway, located between Grand Island and Doniphan on Old Highway 281, races each Saturday from May through Labor Day. Drivers compete in street stock, IMCA modified, late model division and wild and wacky cruisers.

* Taekwondo Grand Island has two clubs: Third City Taekwondo at 210 W. Second and South Central Taekwondo at 207 N. Wheeler.

* Tennis The Health Plex Racquet Center at 2204 Bellwood Drive has three indoor courts and two outdoor courts. Other outdoor public courts are located at Buechler Park, Lincoln Park, Pier Park, Ryder Park, Stolley Park, George Park, Sothman Park and Grand Island Senior High.

* YMCA The Grand Island YMCA, 221 E. South Front St., features racquetball courts, two gyms, a 25-meter indoor swimming pool, indoor track, weightlifting area and pool tables.

* YWCA - 211 E. Fonner Park Road, has Almost Home Program for schoolchildren, pre-school, child care center, dance programs and several other programs and activities.