Special programming was a good deal for participants and a better deal for the Salina taxpayers. Often at little cost, in some cases self-sustaining and in others a money-maker.
During school breaks, the parks department sponsored movies, bowling and rollerskating. We would coordinate with vendors, advertise in the paper and send brochures to 16 schools in the three districts we served. Registration was held at town hall, where kids would pay reduced ticket prices. On occasion a bus was available complete with a chaperone to monitor the ride and event. Other activities included skiing and tubing at the Four Seasons in Fayetteville and downhill skiing at Song Mountain. Karate, tennis, golf, soccer and lacrosse instruction was held at various clubs. Ping pong tourneys took place at the Coast Guard complex on Onondaga Parkway and foul shooting at school gymnasiums. The Syracuse Chiefs sent us blocks of tickets each year — free of charge — that were distributed at pools and playgrounds. A thank-you was always sent to the Hollywood Theatre in Mattydale for arranging age-appropriate movies, the roller rink for including a hot dog and soft drink and the four bowling alleys for free shoes.
An annual adult tennis tourney, the largest in Central New York, included five flights: men and women singles and doubles and mixed doubles. It became so popular it had to be limited to 128 entries in each flight Friday through Sunday for two weekends. Entry fees paid for court time, tennis balls and trophies. Yours truly ran the tourney, so no staffing required. Lesson learned the first year: DO NOT advertise your home phone number for registration; I couldn’t make it to the fridge for a snack!
We gained a gymnasium when the town hall moved from 913 Old Liverpool Road to 201 School Road in the 1980s. The town board purchased the old Mark Loveless Elementary School from the Liverpool school district. We made use of it seven days a week, in most cases morning, noon and night. There was a senior citizen aerobic program during the day twice a week and one time even a program for town hall employees during their lunch break. As an aside, we also held aerobic classes at Roxboro Middle School and the old Bessie Riordan School in Mattydale. Friday night adult basketball and volleyball were so popular the bleachers were filled with those waiting their turn. There came a time when we acquired a wrestling mat from Syracuse University at no charge; we inserted beginner wrestling with volunteer coaches. Saturdays were used for scout groups and little leaguers and Sunday night for firemen volleyball. The town hall day care center scheduled the gym during the day when available. We also used the gym for lifeguard, playground and arts and crafts meetings and training. A high school band was formed and concerts held in Johnson Park in Liverpool. There was band instruction at Lyncourt School and concerts held there and Schaffer Park. Dixieland and Big Band sounds took place at Electronics and Burnham parks to the delight of our senior citizens.
Adult softball was immensely popular and at one point we had 45 teams that included men, women and mixed leagues. Standings were collected and published on a weekly basis, rain-outs rescheduled, slaps on wrists for beer drinkers celebrating victories and losers crying in their beer at our “No Alcohol” parks. There were evening calls to my home challenging umpire decisions for those who couldn’t wait for morning office hours. Fees were collected, hundreds of softballs purchased, umpires to be paid and division trophies ordered. This user-fee activity was self-sustaining. The parks department was there to serve and if a program had merit, was safe to life and limb and preserved park and equipment integrity, it was approved.
