Stratford parks, recreation chiefs outline spring playground upgrades and summer programming

Chad, park superintendent for the Town of Stratford, and Andre, recreation superintendent, gave the commission a joint update Tuesday on spring maintenance, planned playground replacements and summer programming.

Chad said the department plans five playground initiatives this spring, including full removal and replacement at Stony Brook Motel and Worcester Park. "Stony Brook Motel and Worcester Park playgrounds are all gonna be removed and replaced," he said, adding the department will use loose-fill rubber surfacing like the material installed at North End Park.

The park division also has school playground work in progress: equipment for a Vista rope climber has been ordered for a chapel extension, and a pour-in-place safety surface is planned for another school playground once temperatures are consistently above 60 degrees. "Because it's a pour in place surface, we have to wait until early summer — until the temperatures are above 60 degrees before that floor could be poured," Chad said.

Chad described golf-course preparations and staffing as weather- and clearance-dependent. He said the division is targeting an April 1–2 opening but cannot open until seasonal staff complete clearances and the course dries: "We're targeting for that April, April first, second... but I can't do anything until my staff is cleared, and the golf course right now is soaking wet." As a short-term fix for bunker playability while awaiting a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) redo, crews will add masonry sand to traps.

The parks crew will also begin a scheduled maintenance cycle for equipment and gear, prepare athletic fields for spring use, and undertake a beach sand replacement project with the contractor Conte. Chad said the department hopes to begin the beach sand work in mid- to late March.

Andre summarized recreation programming and summer staffing. He said winter programs are winding down as outdoor programs ramp up, and the department has posted its spring and summer offerings. "Our summer registration is March 31," Andre said. He listed playground-camp locations as Eli Whitney, Nichols, Longbrook, Johnson and Short Beach and said camps generally use the same pricing as last year. Andre said registration capacity varies by site and described summer camps as the department's largest seasonal program.

On staffing, Andre said the department currently has about 40 lifeguards on payroll, is running a lifeguard recertification class in March and expects a busy hiring season: "We have 97 people, new people applying to work for the summer, and we currently have 18 returning employees coming back for the summer. And we currently have about 40 employees currently working right now for the Stratford Recreation." He also said pickleball and adult programs remain popular.

Andre described a recent request from the YMCA for pool access when their pool failed; the recreation division accommodated the YMCA on short notice. "Their pool broke down, and we were able to... very quickly get somebody in to help us... and accommodate them," Andre said, noting the departments try to assist other local providers when possible.

The commission approved the minutes of the Feb. 6 meeting by voice vote and later adjourned; both procedural motions passed without recorded roll-call tallies.

The commission set its next meeting for Thursday, April 3, 2025, with a tentative plan to return to in-person meetings if town facilities are available.

Ending: The reports outlined near-term work on playground replacements, beach replenishment and athletic-field preparation, and previewed the summer hiring and registration cycle that the department expects to handle in the coming weeks.