TOWN OF MANLIUS – As the country witnesses both slight and full-scale reopenings, and with that something of a return to normalcy, the Town of Manlius Recreation Department is figuring out how to keep a decades-old tradition going.
The department continues to follow Onondaga County coronavirus precautions for its Summer Playground programs, which have been running in the town for over 30 years.
As a result, the participating kids are separated into age-specific, counselor-led cohorts called “pods” and kept from intermingling. Also, social distancing of six feet or more is encouraged and bidirectional foot traffic is limited.
These practices differ noticeably from previous years, when the department was known to sometimes hold kickball games involving everyone in attendance at the day camp.
One of these pods has been designated for kindergarteners and first graders, one is for second and third graders, and one is reserved for grades four through eight. The last of the three combines the less-represented grades, thus giving it roughly even footing in number with the other two groups.
The county calls for a cutoff of 36 registered participants per group, but Manlius Recreation has the totals hovering around 15 for each pod.
“We work our numbers accordingly to service the most people while staying within the county guidelines,” Recreation Supervisor Kristine Zingaro said.
From 8:30 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday, the children gather at either Lewis Park in Minoa or Eagle Hill Middle School in Manlius, usually depending on which is closer to their residence.
Session I began last week and will conclude on July 16, while Session II runs from July 19 to 30 and Session III runs from Aug. 2 to 13.
Prior to this summer the recreation department had normally scheduled two three-week sessions instead of three two-week sessions and the programs were always held at three different locations rather than two, the third being Pine Grove Middle School on Spartan Way.
Field trips to places like area zoos and indoor play park Billy Beez were usually part of the experience as well, but that is not the case this year.
Nonetheless, the recreation department has managed to find ways to liven up the daily agendas.
Last Wednesday, the traveling petting zoo Out of the Cage was brought in, while ice cream socials and dress-up days are still in store.
Other planned amusements include tie-dyeing and Wacky Olympics, a series of exercises like egg-and-spoon races.
The kids are not required to wear face masks outside during these sessions, but the department recommends masks indoors. Staff members who are not deemed sufficiently vaccinated are told to wear masks at all times while working.
Furthermore, parents are not allowed to exit their vehicles when dropping off or picking up their child at the day camp. The counselors are ready to greet the arrivals, and at the end of each day they guide the children to the right vehicle.
Despite the county’s health protocol, Zingaro said the first full day of Summer Playground on July 6 was “wonderful.”
“The rain held off,” she said. “The last child at Lewis Park got picked up, and within five minutes, it was a total downpour. We got pretty lucky with that.”
Zingaro said community members are thankful for the apparent return of a more normal summer.
“With how everything happened last year, most everybody is really looking forward to getting their kids out and playing and interacting with others again,” Zingaro said. “Last summer they all kind of got cheated out of all of that.”
The summer months of 2020 consisted of little in-person activity in regard to the playground programs aside from handoffs of craft materials on a few occasions.
Sign-ups for multiple Summer Playground sessions and registration for waiting lists are still open at manliustown.recdesk.com.
For residents of the town, the cost is $56 per session for one child, $107 for two and $153 for three. For non-residents, the cost goes up to $70 for each child who participates.
