Belmont Parks and Recreation reports increased summer participation; aquatics, Camp SOAR and scholarships expanded

Michael Moran, recreation supervisor for Belmont City’s youth and teen division, told the Parks and Recreation Commission on Oct. 1 that the division saw higher participation this summer across aquatics and camp programs and is rolling out new scholarships, program changes and digital tools to manage growth.

Moran said the youth and teen unit—which he described as “a strong team of 3.5 full time employees”—ran summer aquatics at Claremont High School for six weeks, launched a revamped swim lesson curriculum aligned with the American Red Cross, and for the first time will offer aquatic scholarships funded by City Council allocations for the 2026 season.

Why it matters: The changes affect daily programming for Belmont families, expand access through scholarship funding and shift more program management into the youth and teen division, including aquatics. Staff said the changes were guided by participant surveys and usage data captured through the department’s ActiveNet (Connect) system.

Key program figures and changes

- Aquatics: Staff reported hiring 16 part-time aquatics employees (about eight returning staff); nine of those part-time hires were Belmont residents. Swim lessons covered ages 4–16. The department recorded 1,433 visits for lap and recreational swim during the scheduled pool hours and ran three eight-lesson swim-session blocks. The…