WATERTOWN — Saved from the budget ax this spring, the city’s summer recreation department will be going through a series of changes when playgrounds open next week.
At the 11th hour, City Council members decided in May to continue offering the summer recreation program. In a cost-saving move, City Manager Sharon A. Addison had recommended in her proposed budget to eliminate the program at city playgrounds.
During budget deliberations, however, council members agreed to increase the number of playgrounds from four to five, but reduce the all-day program to five hours.
The playgrounds open on Tuesday and close for the summer on Aug. 4. But, for the first time, parents are required to register their children. Open registration will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday.
As required by the state Department of Health, immunization records must be provided to the Parks Department this year.
According to the state Health Department, the Parks Department also must keep tabs on the ratio of children attending the playgrounds compared to the number of staff working at the sites, said Scott M. Weller, the city’s parks and recreation assistant superintendent.
“Parents will no longer just be able to drop off their kids,” said Erin E. Gardner, parks and recreation superintendent.
A brand new North-Star playground that opened earlier this spring, at the old site off Bradley Street, will be added this season. The other playgrounds will be at the North Elementary School; the Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds; 243 N. Hamilton St.; and 435 Portage St.
The five playgrounds will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays this summer.
In previous years, the playgrounds were open from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with four playgrounds operating the last two summers. With the budgetary changes, the cost of the program will decrease from $49,000 to $22,400.
Council members agreed this spring to keep the playgrounds open, so that children will have a safe place to go and activities that will keep them out of trouble during the summer.
Run by the Parks and Recreation Department, the program will be staffed by two seasonal counselors at each playground and a director to oversee it. Children get to participate in a variety of activities such as kickball games, board games and arts and crafts.
The city’s two pools, at the fairgrounds and the North Elementary School, also will open Monday. This summer, they will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., an hour earlier than in past years.
Ms. Gardner hopes to have enough lifeguards during the season so that she can keep at least one of the pools open until Labor Day. In past years, there’s been a shortage of lifeguards after many go off to college or start participating in high school fall sports in late August.
For the first time, the five playgrounds also are becoming a part of the Community Action Plan Council of Jefferson County’s free summer lunch program.
Children participating in the city’s summer recreation program can eat lunches free. Afternoon snacks also will be offered.
The Summer Food Service Program will be offered at 34 sites around Jefferson County this summer. The program provides free, nutritional lunches to lower-income families who might not be able to afford meals after school is let out, said Dawn M. Cole, CAPC’s deputy director.
Last summer, 25,916 meals and snacks, or about 862 lunches served each day, were provided to local children through CAPC. The program is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Glance Box
The city Parks and Recreation Department’s newest playground will be celebrated with a ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony at 11 a.m. Tuesday. The North-Star playground is at 626 New York Ave.