Recreation staff: Menlo Park gymnastics program growing but constrained by staffing and space

Recreation coordinator Megan Mullen told the Menlo Park Parks and Recreation Commission on March 25 that the city—s gymnastics program, founded in 1962 and moved into its own building in 2013, has refocused from competitive teams to recreation and inclusive programming.

Mullen said the program currently employs seven full-time staff and seven temporary staff, and that recent winter flooding closed the facility for six weeks; during that time staff ran 64 pop-up classes that served 422 participants. "We really got them excited for when we were able to open up later," Mullen said.

Commissioners and Mullen discussed demand and supply: many classes, particularly Saturday slots, fill in seconds. Mullen acknowledged registration bottlenecks and said staffing and coach training are the main obstacles to adding more sections. "We're definitely still adding a few more classes for the spring," she said, and noted the program will introduce a girls pre-teen program this spring as part of a gradual rebuild toward competitive offerings.

Commissioners raised budget constraints for temporary staff and the higher instructor-to-child ratios needed for young participants. Staff said the city is considering incremental solutions: hiring and training more coaches, adjusting registration timing and processes, and experimenting with additional class days (for example, Monday) to increase capacity without compromising safety or quality.

Why it matters: The gymnastics program is a high-demand, city-run recreational resource used by families with young children. Constraints on staffing and facility time have produced access issues for residents; staff told the commission they plan incremental program expansion aligned with hiring and budget limits.

Next step: Staff said they will continue recruiting and training coaches, monitor registration outcomes, and bring further updates as new classes and process changes are implemented.