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Connellsville rec board seeks sponsors, summer youth hires and night-market pilot
Summary
At the Jan. 28 Connellsville City Council meeting, James Flynn of the Connellsville Park and Rec Board described a March fundraiser, sponsorship packages to fund summer staffing of parks, a $500 "Pay for the Play" option for equipment, and plans to pilot a multi-night night market in the summer.
James Flynn, speaking for the Connellsville Park and Rec Board during public comment at the Jan. 28 city council meeting, outlined fundraising and summer-program plans that would hire students and rely on private sponsorships.
Flynn said the board will hold a spring fundraiser March 16 at the Aaron’s Building and has sold several sponsorship packages. He described two sponsorship tiers: a $1,500 package that covers signage in all parks, and a $2,500 package the board plans to promote that would fund hiring three to four college or trade-school students to staff the parks five days a week for six weeks. "We would pay them $14 an hour," Flynn said, and estimated that with employer taxes the cost would be about $3,000 per employee for the season. He added the board would schedule staff so there are always two people in a park at once.
The board also plans a $500 "Pay for the Play" sponsorship that would buy equipment — from balls and cones to craft supplies — for programming at parks. Flynn said two of those $500 packages had already been sold.
Flynn asked the council for informal approval to begin advertising the $2,500 sponsorship before the rec board completes formal outreach. Council members present signaled support during the meeting.
Separately, Flynn said the rec board is preparing a night market to run May through August at Cameron (the proposed plan would use the second Wednesday of each month), and intends to coordinate scheduling with the Greater Chamber of Commerce’s farmers market. He asked the council to consider a temporary closure of one block of Carnegie Street for the event; Flynn said he would bring a formal request to a future meeting.
Flynn also described volunteer involvement and outreach to local organizations and the police department for demonstrations and family activities during events.
The rec board’s requests in public comment were informal solicitations for the council’s support; no formal council action was taken on hiring or sponsorships during the meeting.
Looking ahead, Flynn said the board will report back to council with details and formal requests — including any required street closures — at a later meeting.
