RPAC augments community programs

RPAC augments community programs

Monday, August 19, 2002 was a little publicized but monumental day for recreation in the towns of Sweden and Clarkson. It was the date of the first meeting held by the newly appointed Recreation and Parks Advisory Council (RPAC).

The RPAC council consists of 15 members and is a council which represents the community. There are five adult representatives each from the Towns of Sweden and Clarkson, one administrative representative from Brockport Central School District, one faculty member from the Recreation and Leisure Department at SUNY Brockport, one member representing the Sweden Senior Center and two youth representatives elected by their peers at Brockport High School. The council's purpose is to advise the Recreation Director on issues concerning programs and policies. The council will also assist in planning special events and exploring opportunities for financial assistance. The RPAC council is not a decision making or a policy making body. Their purpose is to advise.

The first meeting of the RPAC was mainly an orientation. Each member spoke briefly regarding their past experience and their interest in serving on the council. The RPAC Charter was then introduced and reviewed by all members. Recreation Director, Jim Nealon, gave an overview of progress to date. Preliminary budget figures were introduced and explained to members of the council. Changes in registration procedures were explained and the overall direction the Recreation Department is headed was clarified.

Future meetings of the RPAC will be held on the second Monday of each month (first Monday if it falls on a holiday) and will feature an open forum from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Residents are encouraged to utilize this open forum as an opportunity to ask questions or to have personal concerns addressed. Members of the council also are available and may be contacted at the phone numbers and email addresses that have been provided.

Within the past year, the Recreation Department has upgraded from a part-time, summer-oriented program that has focused primarily on youth programs during the last week of June and the month of July, to a full-time, year-round department, staffed with recreation professionals, recreation interns and graduate students, which services not only youth, but also adults and senior citizens. This change was brought about as a result of the acquisition of two new recreational facilities; the Sweden/Clarkson Community Center and the new park on Redman Road which is currently under development. The new community center, located at 4927 Lake Road in Brockport, will enable the Recreation Department to offer new programming that has not been possible in the past due to lack of appropriate space. Most current programs that have been run through the Joint Recreation Commission will also continue to run. Registration procedures have been modified and some changes will likely occur in the best interest of safety, age appropriateness and customer service.

The Recreation Department will continue its relationship with Brockport Central School District and will utilize school facilities, including the swimming pool and school transportation, as it has done in the past. It will also work with the Recreation and Leisure Studies Department at SUNY Brockport. Currently, two interns are working with the Recreation Department for the fall semester. In addition, one graduate assistant has been placed for a two-year experience. SUNY Brockport, having one of the most respected Recreation Departments in the state, is a tremendous resource for the Town's Recreation Department. It is a win-win situation for both agencies. Students receive on the job training and the Recreation Department receives individuals who are qualified in recreation and who have been well-prepared to enter the job field.

New community programs and events

The goal of any Recreation Department is to increase the quality of life of its participants. Each year Sweden/Clarkson Recreation will now be able to provide the community with four free family-oriented special events. The first of these free events will be the Halloween Fun Night scheduled for Wednesday, October 30. Beginning in 2003, the department will receive matching funds from the county to help to defray the cost of these events. These events will provide resident families with the opportunity to recreate, while also giving youth a sense of community.

On Monday, September 23 the Sweden/Clarkson Community Center will host a Red Cross Blood Drive and beginning in November there will be three free Flu Shot Clinics offered at the community center.

An after-school recreation program entitled "Youth Links" is being offered to grades K-8. Brockport Central School District is providing transportation directly from school to the community center for this program. Adult athletic leagues, fitness classes and special interest classes are also being offered. Free open walking takes place Monday through Friday at 8 a.m. in the gym for adults and senior citizens. Families are invited to participate in open gym times Friday and Saturday nights from 7 to 9:30 p.m. and all day Sunday.

Many changes have been implemented that will make recreation more user-friendly in Sweden and Clarkson. The town now publishes its own Recreation Brochure (The Rec-Reader) that is sent direct mail to residents of Sweden, Clarkson and Hamlin. The brochure comes out three times each year and is the department's main avenue of communication to its customers.

Registration is now much easier. Once participants have registered for their photo ID card and have been assigned a participant number, they may then register for programs by mail or via the registration drop box located outside the front doors of the community center. Registration also now spans for weeks rather than a one-day opportunity for registration. This will eliminate participants waiting in long lines to register for their favorite programs.

All recreation staff now have voice mail and email and will return messages promptly with answers to program or registration-related questions.

The community center will operate seven days a week. Monday through Friday, the center, including the new fitness center, will open at 6:30 a.m. and will close at 9:30 p.m. Saturdays, the center will open at 8 a.m. and close at 9:30 p.m. and Sundays, the center will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Fees

The Recreation Department is taking a close look at the fees for each program and adjusting them as necessary so that the majority of program expenses are not dependent on resident tax dollars. In accordance with the Recreation Department's Mission, which states in part that the department will strive to offer the highest quality recreation and leisure services at an affordable cost, while ensuring that the greatest access and value are accrued to residents, costs will be kept at the lowest level reasonable while also meeting standards for quality and safety.

The Recreation Department also offers grants to youth of families that may not be able to pay the full registration fee for a program. Grants will be addressed on an individual basis and will use a sliding scale to determine the level of assistance needed. No youth who has a desire to participate in a Sweden/Clarkson Recreation program will be turned away for inability to pay.

Preliminary 2003 budget

Total expenses for the community center would be $394,550. This figure includes $242,530 in community center operational and program expenses, $55,550 in "Modified" Joint Recreation Program expenses, $67,970 in Certified Day Camp expenses as well as $28,500 in expenses associated with the operation of the Sweden Senior Center. Projected revenue generated from the programs noted totals $217,610. The difference between the total projected expenses and the total projected revenue is $176,940. That would be the total amount paid by resident tax dollars.

Currently residents pay $104,782 to support a part-time Recreation Department. That means that the additional cost would truly be $72,158 to provide Sweden and Clarkson with a full-time, professional Recreation Department. To further identify share of the additional cost, 67.41% or $48,642 would be paid by the Town of Sweden and 32.59% or $23,516 would be paid by the Town of Clarkson. These figures are independent of the park on Redman Road to which Clarkson has not been asked to contribute.

Many communities are not as fortunate and do not have the means to provide residents with the level of recreational services that Sweden and Clarkson residents (and non-residents) can now enjoy. Sweden and Clarkson are building a recreation program that each member of the community can take pride in, whether they are 3 years old or 103.