Crystal, head of Cheektowaga Youth & Recreation, told the Town Board on Oct. 1 that the department has absorbed “over 50%” of its expense reductions in the last 10 years while still running large programs and operating three town pools.

Crystal said the department serves thousands of residents with preschool programs, summer day camps, sports leagues and pools. She said Town Park’s open swim recorded “over 33,000 patrons” across the summer season, swim lessons enrolled 283 participants, and the soccer program had “over 400 kids” this year. She also told the board the summer day camp program runs 220 children at Alexander and about 30 at Dartwood and that roughly 92.9% of campers are town residents.

Crystal warned that cuts to pools would reduce lifeguard training and local water‑safety capacity. “Our pools save lives,” she said, describing a 2018 incident she used to illustrate how local swim training can prevent drowning. She said the department hires roughly 60 lifeguards for the pools each season and runs integrated day‑camp services and special events that bring thousands of participants to town parks.

She reviewed grant awards that the town already has: a New York Swims grant she said is providing $3,000,000 to invest in Town Park pool systems and another award of $840,000 for the Dingens pool. Crystal said those capital awards are limited to specific projects and that operating costs—particularly lifeguard wages—remain a recurring challenge after minimum‑wage increases.

Board members asked whether pools could be closed to save money. Crystal said she hoped to avoid closures and, if forced to choose, would recommend closing Maryvale before Town Park because Town Park has the larger capital grant and higher attendance; she added that the Dingens grant constrains that option. She also described plans to split capital work to avoid closing a pool during the summer season.

Board members heard that youth and rec programming functions as both a community service and a workforce pipeline: many part‑time workers become full‑time town employees. Crystal encouraged the board to weigh community safety and job‑training benefits when discussing cuts.

The board did not take formal action on Youth & Recreation funding during the hearing; the department’s requests will be considered as part of the town’s overall budget deliberations.