After the Camillus Park pool was closed down in May, the town conducted a survey on where money should be spent in the parks department.
The survey, which can be downloaded from the Parks and Recration page at townofcamillus.com, idicated to the town that the majority of resident did not wish to reopen Camillus pool.
As a result, the town formed a master plan committee to review all Camillus parks and come up with a new direction.
Eric Bacon, director of Parks and Recreation, is at the forefront of the committee.
“We’re going to put together a document with recommendations based off of public input — a needs analysis, just a deep hard look at what we have and what the community feels it wants,” Bacon said.
The town gave Eric Bacon the authority to pick the committee members.
“As director of parks and recreation, each of these people throughout the course of my job I had interaction with them, and they’re people that have come into contact with a lot of the residents of Camillus,” he said. “And I think they’re great people with vision.”
This is not the first time Bacon has headed up a committee of this nature. Before coming to Camillus, Bacon conducted a similar evaluation as Parks and Recreation Director for the town of Chili near Rochester. That took eight months — a time span he says could work for Camillus as well.
“Once you have the goal defined, then it’s our challenge to look for funding, grants, opportunities,” Bacon said. “And in the tough economy, it’s our challenge to be creative and find ways to get things done.”
The committee:
David Philippone — town councilor, serves as liaison to the town board
Chris Brown — superintendent of West Genesee schools
Mike Montero — Camillus mayor
Joe Flynn — Camillus resident, represents a group interesting in bringing a YMCA to Camillus
Will Zeck — Pine Grove Golf Course and fitness club
Edean Casey — Camillus resident, parks and recreation director for the town of Onondaga
Ken Duquette, — president of Camillus Youth Association
Don Laxton — president of Greater Camillus Chamber of Commerce, member of the Rotary club
David Vermilya — codirector of the Town Shop Youth Center
Dom Braun — Camillus resident and regular park patron
Jim Hamilton — longtime resident of Camillus
