Tiffin parks report: volunteers honored, summer camps fill fast and wetlands project moves ahead

Tiffin — Parks and Recreation staff briefed the Tiffin City Council on the department’s program year, volunteer recognition and facility projects, and urged residents to register early for summer camps when registration opens April 5.

Parks staff member Bryce, speaking on behalf of Parks and Recreation, recognized hundreds of volunteers and named Randy and Christy Weiser as the Parks & Recreation department’s volunteers of the year. Bryce said partnerships with Operation Hallmark and the Seneca CEO Group helped run the Sutton Bank iceless skating rink at Oakley Park this winter and credited community groups for fundraising and operational support.

Nut graf: The department said its summer offerings are extensively partnered with local organizations, quickly fill to capacity, and include infrastructure improvements funded through grants and city appropriations — developments that shape residents’ access to recreation and river/creek restoration projects.

Bryce gave program statistics and project updates: day camps are split by ages (5–7, 8–11 and 12–15), and last year the department averaged about 60 campers a week for roughly 10 weeks, totaling about 600 children. The outdoor pool opens on Memorial Day; the department also runs special‑needs swim programming and reported a renovated slide at the outdoor pool.

Capital and restoration work noted includes tennis‑to‑pickleball court upgrades with ADA compliance at Hedgesport Park, nature‑trail improvements and creek/river restoration at Riverview Park funded via a CDBG project. Staff said a 5.5‑acre wetlands project at Edgewater Park (the lower end near the sledding hill) is scheduled for the coming fall and is fully funded through an H2Ohio wetlands/flood‑mitigation grant.

Program management: Bryce said the department hired a filming crew to produce a video highlighting parks programming and credited staff and seasonal hires (the department grows from about four year‑round staff to roughly 35–37 seasonal employees) for delivering events including the Fourth of July celebration, Band Bash at the Frost Calound Amphitheater and youth camps.

Bryce warned parents that registration fills quickly: “We fill up, 10 to 12 of our, like, 17 camps in a matter of minutes,” and reminded residents that online registration opens April 5 at 9 a.m. Oakley Park cleanup days were announced — with the city’s annual event scheduled around early April — and staff encouraged volunteers to sign up.

Ending: Council members praised the parks staff’s work and noted the department’s role in accommodating local youth organizations; staff will return with project updates and any required legislation tied to capital projects or grant administration.