Wrangell Parks and Recreation has learned a lot about adaptability this past year, P&R Director Kate Thomas said. With the COVID-19 pandemic, she said that things could change quickly and her department would need to change their operations to meet them. As the year is coming to a close, Thomas said they are looking at their options for winter programming.
In a previous meeting on Nov. 11 the Parks and Rec Advisory Board decided to maintain a moratorium on travel for youth programming through to the end of winter. The level of programming offered in the new year, it was also discussed, would largely depend on the COVID-19 risk assessment.
"Many communities ... have halted in-person programming," Thomas said in an interview with the Sentinel. "But Wrangell is trying to strike a middle ground."
Thomas said that the public can expect a variety of virtual programming opportunities to pop up throughout the winter. These will be things similar to their Pups in Parks contest they held back in October, where people could photograph themselves and their pets enjoying the great outdoors. Thomas also said that Parks and Rec will be looking at a variety of outdoor opportunities for programming this winter. They are in the middle of decorating shelters at several of the city's parks to encourage their use, she said.
"It's definitely one of the safer options we have," she said.
For indoor programming, Thomas said they are looking at several options. Some proposed ideas she mentioned include karate classes, volleyball, or "parent and me" swimming lessons. They will not be doing any wrestling programs this winter, she said, as a sport involving that much contact could be risky during a pandemic.
Whatever programming they go with, Thomas said they have a good framework to go off of to keep everyone safe. They will be following mitigation protocols similar to what they used during their youth basketball program. Mainly, this would involve having small numbers of participants, a very limited amount of spectators, and other safety precautions like wearing masks and hand sanitizing stations.
As of right now, Thomas said that there are no concrete plans for winter programming in place. Parks and Rec is in a bit of a holding pattern, she said, to see what decisions the city makes regarding reopening municipal buildings after Dec. 7. They are waiting to see what the near future holds, and after that will start getting things organized.
"We're good at what we do," she said. "We're quick to mobilize programs ... It's just a matter of what particular model of programming you go with."
Reader Comments(0)