Monroe City partners report rising participation in summer recreation, expanded youth services
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Summary
City presentations from MCOP, the Opportunity Center and the YMCA detailed summer programming growth — more mentors and mentees, expanded youth employee roles, tot-lot meals, leagues and adaptive offerings — and flagged a planned $500,000 lighting project at Munson Park.
Monroe City council heard a recap of summer recreation programs on the evening agenda, with representatives from the Opportunity Center at ALCC and the YMCA reporting higher participation and several new program elements.
“Through the two years, we had 47 mentors and 709 mentees at the Opportunity Center,” said Stephanie Kasperczak, executive director of MCOP and the Opportunity Center, noting the group exceeded an original grant target of 350 mentees. Kasperczak summarized summer offerings at the Opportunity Center, including a six-year summer youth employee program, STEM and digital literacy weeks, a skilled trades camp, and life-skills and young-author activities.
The Opportunity Center reported 43 unduplicated summer campers who made about 1,262 visits overall. Tot-lot sites at Munson, St. Mary’s, Father Carnes, Labor Park and Greenwood drew 149 unduplicated children and 2,384 visits; Sodexo provided 4,691 meals across those locations and the summer camp.
“We added two more summer youth employees this year,” Kasperczak said, explaining the additions came through a new collaboration with Monroe County Community College; those youth assisted with recruitment and program outreach.
Kristen, a YMCA staff member who addressed council on behalf of the association’s recreation work, said the organization has more than doubled participants in its youth programs since 2022 and helped run countywide leagues that bring teams from neighboring jurisdictions to Monroe. The YMCA reported 135 players in the center’s youth basketball league and a growing boxing program, and credited volunteers — more than 75 youth ball volunteers this summer — with supporting games and practices.
City staff and presenters also highlighted specialized programming: adaptive T-ball and soccer, adaptive gymnastics, basketball and swimming offered in partnership with the YMCA; a “Kidpreneur” feature in summer camp; Discover Monroe Week field trips; a Momentum block party tied to the community college partnership; and a community-wide Health & Fitness Week, which MCOP said drew about 3,055 participants July 7–12 under a Michigan Fitness Foundation grant.
Council and staff discussion noted the role of parks staff and volunteers in keeping programs running and raised one capital issue: the lights at Munson Park need replacement. City officials said the lighting project is roughly a half-million-dollar undertaking and that the city has been setting aside capital funds annually toward that goal.
Presenters thanked the city and local partners — including Sodexo, the Port of Monroe, the Michigan Fitness Foundation, the United Way and La-Z-Boy Foundation — and encouraged continued referrals for adaptive and summer programs.
Council members voiced appreciation for the partnerships and for the 70th anniversary activities run by the YMCA and other community groups. No formal council action was required for the presentations.