Parks and Recreation director outlines summer enrollment shifts, event plans and park projects in Riverbank

Parks and Recreation Director Michael Patton told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee on July 15 that most summer programs are running well but one full-day theme camp underperformed and will be retired and replaced in 2027 via a public vote.

Patton said the "around the world" full-day camp had 14 of 30 participants this season and that the city will ask the public next year to choose a replacement theme. He reported mini camps for ages 3 to 5 are full with long wait lists and that swim lessons have completed several sessions; session 4 starts next week with 88 of 114 spots available and session 5 typically runs at lower enrollment because school has resumed.

The director described a new contractor-run offering, Riverbank Family Explore Explorers, that would mix an instruction day with a subsequent free-play membership and would be priced by the contractor. He said adult soccer nights at the sports complex have rebounded and that staff are discussing a formal partnership with the Riverbank Youth Baseball Softball Association after reviewing the association's season financials to determine whether a partnership would leave the city in the black or red.

On events, Patton highlighted the Riverbank Tuesday Market (running through July), which he said generated a modest net to the city after staff support; the city's current arrangement is to receive 20% of the market's net revenue after expenses and provide one on-site staff member. He said the city has collected about $900 to date from five markets under that arrangement.

Patton reviewed several community events: free pool access for bike-parade participants on July 4 (about 40 attendees used the pool), an upcoming Weird Moms Club community event planned for Aug. 26 at Silver Park, a movie-in-the-park at Silva Park on July 25 (sunset near 8:30'9:00 p.m.), an end-of-season pool party on Aug. 1, and ongoing planning for the annual cheese-and-wine festival. He said last year the festival received more than 200 vendor applications and accepted 174; wineries and entertainment are largely locked in and staff issued an RFP for nonprofit alcohol sales that closes next week.

On facilities, Patton said park staff restriped the sports complex parking lot, completed annual dog-park maintenance at Jacob Myers dog park, are purchasing an in-house carpet cleaner, and plan to install security cameras at the community center and Scout Hall to monitor rentals and deter disputes. He also said the city will acquire crowd-control barricades to improve event presentation and safety.

On capital projects, Patton described a change of scope for a city-owned parcel behind Galaxy: the council decided to designate the roughly 2-acre site for a future neighborhood park rather than an affordable housing project. Staff issued a request for qualifications for landscape architects and received one local response from West Blue Professional Services of Modesto; Patton said staff will recommend that firm to City Council at its July 28 meeting.

Patton announced two new hires: senior park maintenance worker Adir Zamora and senior facilities maintenance worker Andrew Sutherland, both scheduled to start July 20. He also said an administrative clerk secured a $1,500 grant to subsidize swim lessons; staff received more than 100 applications and awarded funds to 21 local families.

The committee discussed splash-tour logistics (parks must have restrooms and drainage capacity), mosquito abatement coordination for outdoor movie nights (handled by Eastside abatement), and the possibility of scaling splash-tour events to smaller parks to avoid excessive water use or community complaints.

Patton noted he will be on paternity leave in August and staff plan to cancel the committee's August meeting and resume in September.

The committee approved the consent calendar (minutes for 06/17/2026) by voice vote during the meeting.