Title
Parks and Recreation Summer Programs Update
Description
This report provides the Community and Cultural Investment Subcommittee an update on the Parks and Recreation Department’s summer programs.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
Each year the Parks and Recreation Department gears up to provide safe and affordable summer programs for youth and families throughout the City. In addition to the variety of classes held in community centers and sports programs/events at park facilities, the Department provides PHXplays summer camps and access to swimming pools and swim lessons.
PHXplays Summer Camp
The Parks and Recreation Department offers traditional summer day camps at 24 citywide sites (Attachment A) for youth ages six to 12. Camp programs are offered Monday through Friday, from May to July. Participants can choose to participate in the camps on a weekly or monthly basis. A daily drop-in option is also available to accommodate families’ schedules. To provide families with a variety of options, prices vary and range from free to $80 per week depending on the site and programs and activities offered.
All camps include a minimum of:
- Themed weeks such as superhero week, circus week, and safari week;
- Arts, crafts, sports, games, team building activities, and STEM activities;
- Daily meals with either breakfast/lunch or lunch/snack provided, depending on the provider;
- Onsite events and special activities, such as carnivals and water days;
- Special guest presenters and entertainers;
- Monthly field trips; and
- Camp t-shirt.
The PHXplays summer camp is marketed to participants who have previously enjoyed Parks and Recreation programs and advertised on social media. Staff also communicates with schools via phone, in-person or with distribution of flyers. Other marketing techniques include sharing information at neighborhood association meetings, email blasts and distributing flyers at park events.
Summer camp registration opened March 24 and will continue through the summer. Space remains available at 22 of the 24 sites. Historically, registration numbers increase within the first two weeks of the program.
Aquatics Season and Swim Lessons
During a typical aquatics season, City pools welcome more than 463,000 visitors to the facilities. The 2022 pool season runs Memorial Day weekend through July, with select pools open through Labor Day. This year, 14 of 29 City pools are open and eight pools citywide will remaining open through Labor Day (Attachment B).
Aquatics staffing this year has been challenging and is reflective of a nationwide shortage of lifeguards. For this pool season, the department has hired 385 aquatics staff consisting of lifeguards, pool managers, swim instructors and cashiers. This staffing level has enabled 14 pools to be open this summer.
To promote future lifeguard opportunities, the Department is offering Junior Lifeguard and Lifeguard Academy programs for youth ages 14 to 17 in the months of June through August. These five-week programs teach water safety and leadership skills. Program participants will also become CPR certified. For those successfully completing the Lifeguard Academy, they will also obtain lifeguard certification. These programs were last implemented in 2019.
Of the 14 open pools this summer, 11 are participating in the Kool Kids program that allows kids 17 years and younger to swim for free. The Kool Kids donations this year include $56,432 from the Milwaukee Brewers and $10,000 from Salt River Project. Admission at the other three pools is $1 for kids. Adult admission at all pools is $3; and senior admission is $1.
The Parks and Recreation Department is offering swimming lessons at the 14 pools open this summer. Swimming lessons are for participants ages six months to 12 years old and will be held June 6 through July 28. Each session consists of eight, 30-minute classes. Due to the Parks and Recreation Department’s commitment to ensure programs and affordable and accessible to everyone, each session is $15, which equates to $1.88 per class. These prices are the lowest, in comparison to other nearby municipalities, as their prices range from $22 to $45 per session.
Also, thanks to a generous donation of $10,000 from the Arizona Diamondbacks, 833 of the 7,971 swim lesson spaces across the 14 pools have been discounted to $3.
Registration for all swimming lessons began on May 12 and will be ongoing throughout the summer as space is available. Currently, 1,518 spaces are available. Swim lessons are marketed on the Parks and Recreation Department’s website, via social media, flyers at pools, interviews with local media and by targeted marketing.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Inger Erickson and the Parks and Recreation Department.