By Ashley M. Casey
Staff Writer
If you’ve been nice this year — or if you’ve been naughty and would like to plead your case — the town of Lysander is collecting letters for Santa Claus until Dec. 19. Mail or drop off your letter to Santa at the Lysander parks office, which is located at 8220 Loop Road, Baldwinsville.
Sign up for email notifications
Residents can sign up for email reminders about parks programs. Email [email protected] with the subject line “Program Email List” to receive automatic notifications about upcoming events and activities. The full winter parks brochure can be seen at bit.ly/2fUdZs9, but read on for a sampling of upcoming events:
Lysander Park open for outdoor fun
Outdoor enthusiasts rejoice: a 3/4-mile trail for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at Lysander Park is open daily from 8 a.m. until dusk. The park is located at 8439 Smokey Hollow Road.
Alive at 25
All Baker High School students must take the “Alive at 25” driver safety course in order to park on campus. The Lysander parks department is accepting registrations for a session of this class from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11, at Branch’s Driving School in Great Northern Mall. The price is $50.
Tubing at Four Seasons
Take a trip to Fayetteville to go snow tubing! Four Seasons Ski Center will supply the tubes and pull kids up the slope, which is safe and separate from skiers and snowboarders.
Snow tubing takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 27, or from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at Four Seasons Ski Center, 8012 E. Genesee St., Fayetteville. This program costs $20 per person. You must be at least 4 years old and 42 inches tall to participate.
Jewelry and Crafts with a Twist
The parks department is partnering with Mohegan Manor to present a series of craft workshops. Learn to create jewelry and other trinkets while you enjoy a glass of wine (not included in the program fee). The next two workshops are:
• Steampunk skeleton key pin: Participants will use resin and replica Victorian-era items to create a unique skeleton key pin. This program takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5. The fee is $40.
• Wine bottle and glass charms: Create personalized charms for wine bottles or stemware just in time for Valentine’s Day. Bring your own letter charms to spell your initials or name. This program takes place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2. The fee is $30.
Tai chi classes
Willow Health and Wellness Center will host two sessions of tai chi this winter. Also known as “moving meditation,” tai chi is a series of gentle exercises that improve strength, balance and mood. Each six-week session costs $40 per person and will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday nights from Jan. 9 to Feb. 13 or Feb. 20 to March 27 at WHC, located at 3090 Belgium Road/Route 31 in Baldwinsville. Participants must be 16 or older.
Reminders
The parks office has a few reminders for residents:
• Programs held at schools are canceled when school and/or after-school activities are canceled due to winter weather.
• The Lysander Highway Department will accept Christmas trees for recycling between from Dec. 26 to 31 and from Jan. 2 to 15. Please remove all ornaments, lights, stands and bags before dropping your tree off. The highway department is open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is located at 2730 West Entry Road.
• The parks office will be closed Dec. 26, Jan. 16 and Feb. 20.
• Residents can start reserving pavilions or the community room at Lysander Park starting Jan. 9. No dogs or alcohol are allowed. Contact the parks department for more information.
To register for these programs, visit secure.rec1.com/NY/town-of-lysander/catalog or contact Lysander parks and rec at 635-5999 or [email protected]. The Lysander parks and recreation department is located at Lysander Town Hall, 8220 Loop Road, Baldwinsville. The office is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information about current and upcoming programs, visit townoflysander.org/departments/parks-and-recreation or like “Town of Lysander Parks and Recreation” on Facebook.
