Attached Photo (left to right): Top Row – James Prendergast Library Executive Director Tina Scott, Jamestown Public Schools Afterschool Coordinator Julie Poppleton, Recreation Coordinator Julia Ciesla-Hanley, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation Program Officer Lisa Lynde, Recreation Leader Alyssa Leathers. Bottom Row – Parks Manager John Williams, City Council President Greg Rabb, Mayor Sam Teresi, Recreation Attendant Ryan Pollino, Recreation Attendant Ashley Wilder
JAMESTOWN – The Jamestown Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Department is pleased to announce another season of the Summer Playground Program.
Alyssa Leathers of Jamestown will be serving her first year as the Playground Program Recreation Leader. She is pursuing her Bachelor’s from Ohio State University with a major in Early Childhood Education.
There are six playground program locations this year, including Allen Park, Fletcher Elementary School, Johnson Street Tot Lot, Lillian Dickson Tot Lot, Nordstrom Park, and Ring Elementary School. The Nordstrom Park location, which is located between Nordland Place and Livingston Avenue, replaces the Lincoln Elementary School site again this year due to continued construction at the school. The staff will consist of a number of city college-aged residents, many who hope to pursue a career path in education.
The playground program is free of charge. This year’s program started on Monday, June 29 and will continue through Friday, Aug. 7 with all sites open from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is geared for children between 5 to 13 years old.
As in past years, there will be city-wide field trips and activities scheduled, including bowling, a talent show, carnival, and the Playground Olympics. At the individual parks, there will be arts and crafts; and games such as mancala, kickball, football, box hockey, and wiffle ball. Equipment will be available at each playground site for the children to play with at any time.
New programs this year include a Nature Day field trip put on by the Parks Department and Roger Tory Peterson Institute that will feature a tree planting on the Greater Jamestown Riverwalk. There also will be a trip to Diethrick Stadium to tour the facility and meet the Jamestown Jammers. Additionally, the Parks & Rec Department is collaborating with the James Prendergast Library to offer the Summer Reading Program at all playground program sites.
Additionally, the Jamestown YMCA will be providing a free lunch program at the Lillian Dickson Playground site from 11 a.m. to noon. The meals will be available to children ages 18 and under.
Children must register the first time they attend their playground site. They are free to come and go as they wish after that point.
The summer playground program is made possible through support from the City of Jamestown, the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Jamestown Public Schools, New York State Office of Children and Family Services, and the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation.
For additional information, please call the Recreation Office at 483-7523.
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