Lysander — When people hear “parks and recreation,” they probably are thinking of green grass and the great outdoors. This time of year, people are more likely to be cozying up indoors, and the town of Lysander’s Parks and Recreation Department has plenty of opportunities to escape the snow.
“Baldwinsville’s very blessed to have the town of Lysander, the town of Van Buren, the YMCA, the RCA [Radisson Community Association] … all serving different programs [and] special events,” said Recreation Program Director Tony Burkinshaw. “If you were thinking of moving, Baldwinsville would be the ideal place for sure.”
For Burkinshaw, there’s rarely a dull moment in the parks world.
“It’s never the same. You wear many hats,” he said. “I go from finger-painting with kids to a meeting with the town supervisor. … Another government official comes in and I shake hands and I have finger paint on my hands!”
Burkinshaw said he is fortunate to have the expertise of two former Onondaga County Parks employees on the town board: Deputy Supervisor Bob Geraci and Councilor Bob Ellis. He said Supervisor Joe Saraceni, who has a young family, is also eager to improve the parks department’s offerings.
“Joe wants to do something on the river to bring awareness [to safety],” Burkinshaw said.
While river season is still a ways off, Burkinshaw highlighted a few midwinter opportunities at Lysander Parks and Recreation:
Feb. 20: Father and Daughter Dance
The Father and Daughter Dance is a parks and rec tradition, but this year there’s new location. Previously, the dance was held at Canton Woods Senior Center and Belgium Cold Springs Fire Department, but Mohegan Manor offered to host the 2016 event.
Burkinshaw said it was a beneficial partnership for both the community and a local business.
“If you get a little girl and her dad in there early, who knows?” he said. “Maybe when she gets married, she’ll remember that time and maybe she’ll have a wedding there.”
continued — While many girls flock to the dance floor with their friends, leaving Dad to sip punch on the sidelines, Burkinshaw said many fathers have told him that the dance is a way to celebrate the special relationship between a father and a daughter.
“It’s also a way to teach their daughters how a young man should treat them,” he said.
The 2016 Father and Daughter Dance takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, at Mohegan Manor, 58 Oswego St., Baldwinsville. The dance is open to girls in grades two through five and their fathers; attire is semi-formal. Admission is $35 per father-daughter pair and $15 for each additional daughter.
Feb. 27: Boating Safety Course
River enthusiasts who are itching for summer to arrive can sharpen their water safety skills with a daylong, state-certified Boating Safety Course featuring instructors from CNY Navigation. A state law that went into effect in January 2014 requires jet ski and boat operators to pass a safety certification test.
“Due to this course [requirement] taking effect, there’s been less tragedies with young kids on jet skis,” Burkinshaw said.
Taking the course in February frees up more time for fun on the water later.
“The goal of having it in the wintertime is so you can enjoy the summer,” Burkinshaw said. “You’re not sitting in this room thinking, ‘I could be out on the water.’”
Burkinshaw said the course covers everything from life jackets and flotation devices to inspecting your watercraft and what to do if your boat goes under. He said inspection of boats and trailers is important to prevent tragedies both in and out of the water: in April 2014, McNamara Elementary School teacher Jennifer Miles was killed on I-690 when a wheel fell off a boat trailer and hit her car.
continued — After the course is complete, registrants must complete an application for the New York Safe Boating Certificate. For more information, visit bit.ly/boatercert.
The Boating Safety Course is open to people ages 10 and older, and will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. There is a $35 fee for the class and a $10 fee for the state certification.
Parks and rec commissioners wanted
If dances and courses aren’t your forte but you still want to be active in the parks department, Burkinshaw said there are three vacancies on the town’s five-member Parks and Recreation Commission.
“It’s a great way to be involved in community government and help me generate some new ideas and new programs,” Burkinshaw said.
The town board appoints applicants to two-year terms, and the commission typically meets five times per year to discuss special use contracts, new programming, seasonal and year-round employee changes, grants and other issues concerning parks.
Candidates should send a resume with references and a letter of interest to Tony Burkinshaw.
To register for the events listed above or to submit an application for the parks commission, contact the Lysander Parks and Recreation Department at 635-5999 or 8220 Loop Road, Baldwinsville NY 13027. Be sure to like “Town of Lysander Parks and Recreation” on Facebook to keep track of upcoming events.
