I love the Independence Civic Center. This facility is home to the recreation center and community…read morecenter, as well as a branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library (separate listing). The convenience of having all these facilities in one place cannot be oversold. On the rec side there is an indoor swimming pool with hot tub, sauna, steam room, and children's pool, locker rooms, pool table, gymnasium, racquetball court, running track, cardio and strength training equipment, as well as a studio for classes. The membership is limited to Independence residents, and is extremely affordable. They also offer a variety of classes and programs, which cost extra but are mostly cheap. The community side has several meeting rooms that can be rented out and configured to different sizes, a childcare room, and a lounge with couches, piano, and fire place. My favorite part of this facility is the center courtyard with two-story glass walls. It really brightens up both the community side and recreation side, and makes working out so much more pleasant, especially in the winter.

My African American friend (I'll call her "R") and I entered the Independence Civic Center and felt…read moreunwelcomed from the start. As we entered the doors, a group of teenage girls immediately gave her condescending looks up and down. After walking past them, I turned around to see them laughing, pointing, and taking pictures of her. In addition, when we approached the front desk, (with smiles and positive attitudes) we were met by 2 very nice, welcoming ladies. However, one lady (I'm assuming a manager of some sort) (short, gray hair, and glasses) came out of the back room to assist us. She was happy to assist me, but the second she noticed "R," her whole demeanor changed. She was rude and short with us from that moment on. I am DISGUSTED by this BLATANT racism and discrimination in 2019!!! All in all, I would NOT recommend this establishment to anyone. It's definitely worth your while to drive down the road a little bit and find a rec center that won't discriminate you based on the color of your skin.

I come to Canton twice a year for work for the annual Dart and Pool tournaments. Both events are…read moreheld at the civic center a month apart in april. The building is nice and spacious and serves the purpose of the events nicely. Plenty of seating in the arena area for those who like to spectate. Parking is 50/50. Little pricey and a bit of a walk to get to the center. Food options are your typical arena fare. Building could use some upgrades and renovations. Good for the couple times I visit. Curious to see a Charge game there sometime.

historic amazing medium size venue…read more I have been here so many times. From watching courtside high school basketball or harlem globe trotters this place is impressive. The canton charge play here they are owned by the Cleveland cavaliers. It's the development league. The road to the nba. That is the reason the court is shiny with good sound and lighting. I have so many memories! Great memories. I like this venue. Canton should be proud!

Liberty Playground in Elmwood Park is so nice for children! All was cleaned and there was only two…read moremissing items to utilize the park fully. People were socially distanced at the park. The bathrooms were available near by however we didn't use them. There is a bicycle park as well for children called safety town. There were various slides; zip line, rock climbing and swings!

The city of Independence, Ohio has a lot going for it but their Elmwood park simply outshines parks…read moreof neighboring areas. The crown jewel being their Liberty Playground which is great for toddlers to preteens. It has a generous section for a mini-town, complete with is fire station, traffic light, pedestrian crossing etc. Of note, clean restrooms by the kids area enhances the experience. The soccer field is gorgeous....and well maintained. Tennis courts are fantastic....and well maintained. Excellent baseball fields, multiple....are well maintained. Swimming pool for kids and adults....look great although I haven't benefited from it. The walking areas connecting all the above to independence branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library are paved with lush green grass and colorful floral arrangements with a lot of attention owing laid to landscaping. The Elmwood pond within the grounds of the park is a serene place to sit by. I've had the pleasure of visiting there many times with family, a generation up and also a generation down. We all love sitting there, chatting, snacking,in a peaceful environment in awe of the ducks, geese and if we're lucky, seeing the blue herons that come by there.