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Recreation manager: 263 seasonal staff and 510 volunteers supported 2025 programs; sensory‑swim and other inclusivity efforts planned
Summary
Recreation manager Nicky Wendt reported 263 seasonal employees, about 510 volunteers, nearly 700 early‑childhood participants and more than 2,500 youth-league participants in 2025; the division plans a sensory swim program, added Apple Tots locations and raised $12,000 for fee‑waiver scholarships.
Nicky Wendt, the City recreation manager, told the committee that the recreation division expanded programs and community reach in 2025 while wrestling with staff capacity.
Wendt said the division employed 263 seasonal staff last year and worked with about 510 volunteers — numbers she described as among the highest in the city for any division. "We had over, like, close to 700 participants in our early childhood program," she said of the Apple Tots classes, which ran mainly at the Scheig Center and the Northland Mall studios.
Youth programming is a major focus: Wendt reported roughly 2,500 children in youth sports leagues and 864 kids participating in youth camps last summer, with soccer alone approaching 1,000 participants. She warned that continued growth could force program caps if staffing does not keep pace.
Wendt described adult fitness and wellness offerings, Unity Dance and Acrobatics recitals with hundreds of participants and a robust aquatics program that delivered more than 2,000 swim lessons in 2025. The division is piloting a "sensory swim" program for families with children with special needs that will limit noise and crowding to create a calmer experience.
On partnerships, Wendt said the division renewed a three‑year relationship with US Ventures for Children's Week and works with the Appleton YMCA and other community groups to deliver events. She noted that a recent Mom Prom fundraiser raised about $12,000 for a fee‑waiver scholarship that helps low‑income children afford lessons and camps.
In response to Alder Schultz's question about skating at Pierce Park, Wendt clarified that grounds staff do not regularly staff the Pierce rink, while Jones Park receives concentrated ice‑making attention and was prioritized for nightly water runs.
Members thanked recreation staff for broad programming and community engagement. No formal action was taken on the report.
