News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) is trying to get its feet under itself after a punishing round of cuts prompted by a budget shortfall.
SPRD is offering a slate of summer programs, but the district needs to have more enrollment to make sure they continue.
"We want to let people know that we still have room in all of our summer programs," Executive Director Carrie Ward told The Nugget. "However, if we do not get additional registrations for programs, we will have to cancel many of them. Without additional registrations for summer programs, there is a chance we will have to close for the summer."
Ward said that SPRD has created a series of week-long youth camps that include field trips, gymnastics, swimming days, hiking days, etc. Day enrollment is possible, too.
"The summer programs were designed to meet the input we have received for high quality youth programs," Ward said. "What we're hearing is that because of the economy, people can't afford them."
Ward also acknowledged that the district has suffered from negative perceptions in the community, stemming from incidents of lapsed security and some poorly run programs.
"There were some long-standing complaints and concerns about several staff members," Ward said. "I was working on them on a kind of continual basis and just wasn't getting the turnaround that I needed."
Ward said the district has taken action in all areas of concern and made significant improvements. She also says that the staff that remains after financially induced layoffs is of high quality.
"We really want to get the word out. It's been under new management for four years now," Ward said. "In the staff cuts, we've retained our finest staff."
Ward said that public perceptions have been "a little tough on staff morale, too. I don't think you can hold them responsible for things that happened in the past."
Ward said that new board members, put in place in the May election, will bring new energy to the district.
"They've obviously got a lot of energy and new ideas," she said. "I think that's going to help a lot."
Ward said SPRD needs to work on better communication with the community. As part of that, she is seeking input on programs that families want - and can afford.
"We ... recognize that many families need lower-cost programs, and we can meet this need by: Reformatting the programs to a basic, summer recreation program with no frills. A fee and advanced registration would still be required, but we could reduce the price somewhat. We can also help to meet this need with donations for scholarships, so that families that can't afford programs could participate.
"We would love to hear from parents and families about the kinds of programs they are looking for this summer," Ward said.
For more information about SPRD, call 549-2091 or visit http://www.sistersrecreation.com.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
Reader Comments(0)