Wrangell’s advisory board to the parks and recreation department is exploring options to boost attendance to its annual Tot Gym program, which is set to start Nov. 16.
The program offers public playtime geared toward smaller children, with the community center opened several times a week through the season’s end in May. Changes to Tot Gym’s administration have brought about a significant decline in participation over the past two years, a trend the Parks Department would like to curb this year.
In her monthly report to the board on Nov. 4, department director Kate Thomas noted the number of logged participants has dropped from 1,058 for the 2013-14 season to 164 for 2014-15. She believes several changes that year likely contributed to this, such as the implementation of age restrictions and a $1.25 admission fee to the once-free service.
The fee was meant to cover facility and labor costs, after the addition of a gym attendant to monitor activities. The typical wage of an attendant is between $9.13 and $10.19 an hour. The program fee has increased since its first implementation: with the advent of a new rate schedule in September, Tot Gym now costs $2 per child.
Thomas said the rate was not out of keeping with similar programs. Those in Seward and Ketchikan charge $1 and $3, respectively. The differences there are that Seward does not have an attendant on hand, and Ketchikan offers a wider range of equipment, such as a bouncy castle.
Weighing in with her own experience, parent Sarah Scambler agreed that the fees were off-putting for many parents. She hypothesized most likely users of the program were stay-at-home mothers in single-income households, and said costs were an especially important factor to consider when compounded by multiple children. At around 75 sessions per year, the program could cost up to $150 per child.
New board member Alice Rooney asked whether season passes or punch cards might be an acceptable solution.
“I think that would be more acceptable for people,” Scambler said.
Scambler presented some other ideas for consideration, such as having the board or volunteers fundraise to cover costs. She thought more money might be raised for the program through public generosity than by user fees. Grant funding was another possibility.
Thomas and Scambler agreed another important reason for lower usage may be the toys available. Tricycles and other amusements purchased by parents through a fundraising effort for Tot Gym two years ago were mothballed because they scratched the community center floors.
Scambler recommended selling the toys that were put aside and using those funds to purchase new, less-damaging ones. Board member Haig Demerjian wondered whether it might be possible to instead refit or adapt some of the current toys with scratch-resistant rubber treading.
“It would take some experimentation,” he said. Otherwise, Demerjian agreed it would be a good idea to acquire new toys that would work with the facility. Still, he also expressed the view that the gym floor is meant to be used, and that some wear and tear is to be expected.
Thomas told the board department funds are available to buy new toys, but that she would like some parental input on which would be enjoyed the most. A sheet of possible toys will be made available at the front desk for parents to look over and she said any ideas from the public would be welcome.
The Parks Department will explore its options over the next month, and board members will come back with some ideas at their December meeting with some possible solutions.
Whatever it decides to do, Scambler hopes the department would improve this year’s program. “It was really not that welcoming an atmosphere the last year,” she said. Tot Gym is not just fun for the children, but is also an opportunity for parents to meet and converse. “It’s not as fun when there’s not a bunch of people there,” Scambler said.
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