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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane Parks and Recreation Department plans free activities

By Nina Culver For The Spokesman-Review

New things are afoot at the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department this summer and almost all of it is free.

The biggest change is that admission for open swim times at all Spokane public pools will be free. The department will save money by not hiring cashiers at each pool and eliminating the armored car service that picked up the admission money, said Director of Recreation Jennifer Papich.

“We just thought it was worth it to the public,” she said.

The swimming season is scheduled to begin with lap swimming May 7 at Witter Aquatic Center in Mission Park, and June 18 at all other Spokane area pools.

Free admission will mean more people at the pool, so the department will offer free swim clinics every Saturday that will teach swimming skills. The clinics, which run for 30 minutes, will be offered from 10 to 11 a.m. each Saturday from June 23 to Aug. 11 at the Cannon, Hillyard and Liberty pools.

Pre-registration for the clinics is required. People can call 311 and press 3 to select the Parks Department to register.

There will also be a free Swim Splash Pass this year that allows admission into the pools. When people sign up for it, they will be put on a list that notifies them anytime a pool is closed for maintenance. It also lets the department know who is using pools the most, Papich said.

“It gives us a good way to see what age groups we’re getting at the pools,” she said.

The Spokane Parks Foundation, which is a regular supporter of pool programs, is doubling the money it donates for swimming lesson scholarships this year, Papich said. They also provide free swim suits to low-income children so they can use the pools.

Also new this year is a mobile recreation pilot program housed in the back of a van. The van and parks department staff will visit six different parks on a rotating schedule all summer, offering games, physical activities and arts and crafts.

The goal is to reach out to children who can’t afford to attend day camps, but it is not meant to be a program where parents drop children off, Papich said. Park staff will not be signing children in or out and kids will be allowed to come and go as they please.

“It’s not necessarily a drop-off event, it’s more of a stay and play,” she said. “We don’t take attendance. It’s just an added bonus for park users.”

The mobile program will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday from June 20 to Aug. 23. Every Monday the van will be in Dutch Jakes Park and then it will rotate through A.M. Cannon, Underhill, Mission, Cannon Hill, Coeur d’Alene and Harmon parks, in that order. The sessions held at Coeur d’Alene Park are geared toward the entire family and are held from 5 to 7 p.m.

The department picked those parks because they are spaced throughout the city and are each located near a free summer meal site, Papich said.

Every time the van rotates through the parks there will be a new theme, such as the Olympics, team sports and heroes.

The Trust for Public Lands is funding the visits to Dutch Jake Park and the Skyhawks have donated $1,000 worth of equipment, Papich said. At the end of the year organizers will evaluate how well the program went and if any adjustment of locations is needed.

“We’re testing the waters to see where it’s popular and needed,” she said.

The Parks Department is also offering its usual schedule of sports day camps, art camps and outdoor adventure camps. The Youth Summer Camp Guide is out and is available online at my.spokanecity.org/parksrec/guides or at City Hall. The Summer Activity Guide will be out the second week in May. People can pick up a copy at City Hall or local libraries or call 311 to request to have one mailed to their home.

The department felt it was important to expand the free programs it offers, Papich said.

“Not everybody can pay to play, so we want to make sure we’re serving as much of the community as we can,” she said.