Local News – Friday, February 14th, 2020
The Salem Park and Recreation Board met Wednesday evening at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. Salem Park and Rec Director Melissa DuBois gave her report and said the youth basketball season went very well with trophies handed out for the 1st and 2nd place teams, MVP awards for the best boy and girl and a Coach of the Year Award. She reported the “Skills and Drills” football camp was a huge success with 135 children participating. She wanted to express her biggest thanks to Andrew Wynn for his help in keeping the event organized and Salem R-80 Head Coach Dylan Wyrick for bringing some high school players and working with the kids. DuBois explained that she was able to help Healthy Dent County find six retractable basketball goals through govdeals.com and then was with them through the bidding process. This process helped save Healthy Dent County over $20,000 for goals that far exceeded what was expected to be installed. Dubois said 33 children and their parents are signed up for the “Start Smart” Soccer program and late signups for the Youth Soccer Program will continue until Friday at 4:30. She said she is working on the Summer Program this year and it will be a two week all day camp. She is trying to make sure that the camp is held during a time when very few other events are happening. DuBois said the Park and Rec Department was able to purchase five metal picnic tables that used to be at Scoops and put them in front of the baseball concession stand and in the park playground pavilion. DuBois discussed with the board about selling shaved ice at the pool this year and buying a new machine. She also discussed with the board about getting new cheese warmers and a popcorn machine for events. The board approved her request to purchase these items for the concession areas this year. The board reviewed admission prices for the Alice Lou Craig Swimming Pool and also pavilion rentals. The pool prices will remain the same as last year: $4.00 for children and senior citizens and $5.00 for adults. Family pool passes will stay at $160 for two adults and two children with an additional $45 charge for any other family member over those four. Individual pool passes will also stay at $75. Water Aerobics and swim lessons will also remain the same at $50 per month for aerobics and $45 for swim lessons. Pool parties will be unchanged at $150 for the first hour with each additional hour $50. Pavilion rentals will also be the same as last year with $45 for the day for the large pavilion and $35 for the day at the small pavilion. Dubois did request having a pre-season sale of family pool passes for $130 and individual pool passes for $60. She also wanted to offer discounts on private and shared pool parties as well as offering to rent out the Pool Pavilion for parties for $75 for two hours. These pre-season special prices will only be offered in March and April. The board approved her request to offer the pre-season sale. Dubois did report that a Memorandum of Understanding between the Park and Recreation Department and Healthy Dent County for the use of the gym has been negotiated and is all but ready to be signed by both parties. The board also discussed and reviewed the application for the LWCF grant for the new soccer park that is to be submitted by midnight Friday night. Informational discussions on the City Auditorium Theatre improvements, the skate park and possibly adding a concrete ping pong table at one of the pavilions were held with no decisions being made. The meeting was then adjourned.