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Recreation division reports retirements, recruitments, camp schedules and Wayne Bunker update
Summary
Deputy Director Pat O'Mara outlined six recent voluntary separations affecting recreation staff, recruitment steps, phased summer camp registration, Black History Month activities and progress on the Wayne Bunker pickleball project pending Department of the Interior approvals.
Deputy Director Pat O'Mara told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission on Feb. 4 that the department experienced six voluntary separations under a citywide separation program and is recruiting to fill gaps while continuing program delivery.
O'Mara named staff who accepted early retirement through the voluntary separation: Aaron Radke (recreation manager), recreation coordinators Lettie Peters and Priscilla Scott, Active Adult Center leader Alice Jarvis, program technician Tanya Barstorf and a parks and grounds maintenance worker, Ed Bridal. He said interim reassignments are in place (for example, a senior recreation leader is acting as coordinator at the Lebron center) and recruitment offers for two recreation leader positions were just extended.
O'Mara outlined program schedules and customer-service changes: spring camps are scheduled to run during the CCSD spring break beginning March 17 (locations believed to include STUPAC, Mirabelli and Veterans Memorial with Cimarron Rose possibly included), and summer camps will be phased for registration to ease online-system load. Summer camps are planned to begin the week of Memorial Day (May 27) and run through Aug. 8. O'Mara said the phased registration aims to avoid cart and multi-discount issues that slowed last year’s registration process.
He highlighted cultural programming for Black History Month and noted department orientation sessions with the new mayor and council members. On staffing, O'Mara said the department is actively recruiting for the recreation manager vacancy with an offer expected in March.
Commissioners asked about continuity for contract instructors and lifeguards; O'Mara said supervisors are prioritizing programs and may reassign staff or adjust offerings to protect high-performing programs. On Wayne Bunker (the pickleball complex), O'Mara and staff said the project is a SNPLMA-funded grant requiring Department of the Interior review; designs were revised (from an original 30 courts to 24) and final approval is pending. They expect to go into permitting and bid in the second quarter and estimate a 16–18 month build-out, placing completion near the end of 2026 if approvals proceed on schedule.
O'Mara said the department will follow up with commissioners on staffing and programming details and will provide additional section-level updates from aquatics and other divisions later in the year.
