2011-02-02 P & R Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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�; . �. _. TO: Parks & Recreation Committee FROM: Kim Stephan DATE: January 25, 2011 SUBJECT: YMCA Park Programs The following is email input from Chairperson Branch: The YMCA Pa�k Programs was tabled in January and pushed to February. On Friday, January 14, 2011 Committee Member Seeley and I discussed the YMCA day camp program with Ms. Deb Gallop, Wargo Nature Center. Ms. Gallop spoke favorably of the YMCA programs. She also noted that Wargo also has � summer day camps. I My recommendation is that we should not fund the YMCA programs either in our parks or at Anoka County Heritage Lab as we could make better use of the $1500. A. We should not continue to fund the YMCA progra s in Laurie LaMotte Memorial Park simply because it is not well attended. The YMCA has acknowledged the lack of participation in their request that we use those funds for the Heritage Center Day Camp program. B. We should not subsidize the Heritage Center Day Camp program 8ecause it does not benefit Centerville residents. This is a regional YMCA camp serving YMCA locations across and even beyond Anoka , County. C. It has been suggested that we use the $1 S00 to underwrite Centerville children. That would be a better use, but I think we can find better uses for the funds. On what basis would we underwrite or subsidize I some residents but not others? I don't know how we do that. Also I am not sure that it is appropriate that we subsidize YMCA programs. The Y is a good civic organization, but underwriting or subsidizing any � outside organization is not a good use of tax dollars D. Supporting Wargo day camps has also been proposed. This is a better use of funds as Wargo is part of Anoka County parks. We are Anoka County residents and it would be easier to direct those dollars to funding Centerville children. While I think this is a better use of funds, we should keep Centerville tax dollars in CentervilZe. My recommendation is that we hold the $1 S00 and ask Council to re-allocate those funds to other park activities. Please see comments for Olympic Day 2011.