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Date: 7/7/2021
LONGMEADOW – The Longmeadow Parks and Recreation Department is offering activities for residents to stay busy this summer.
“Our goals for our summer programs are to offer children a safe, social and fun environment,” said Director Bari Jarvis, who has been employed with Longmeadow Parks and Recreation Department since 1994 and has been the director since 2006.
“We began programming at Greenwood Park last week and have a number of opportunities coming up from tennis to swim lessons to specialty sport programs like field hockey, soccer and track. We also have a Food Explorer’s program, art and baseball,” he shared.
Children will learn how to make tasty and nutritious meals, the importance of eating locally, foods from different cultures and food marketing at the Food Explorer’s program, which is for grades 2-5 from July 12-16 from 9 a.m. to noon at Olde Town Hall.
Swimming lessons will be at Greenwood pool in two-week sessions, Monday through Friday. Children are divided into groups based on ability. The first two sessions that the department hosted have passed, however the final two swimming lesson sessions will take place from July 19 -30 and from Aug. 2 - 13.
A field hockey clinic for girls in grades 3-6 and grades 7-8 will take place from July 12-16. For grades 3-6, the program will take place Monday through Friday from 8:30 - 11:15 a.m. Grades 7-8 will take place from noon -2:45 p.m. Both sessions take place at Russell Field near the Longmeadow Shops.
A soccer clinic for grades K-5 and grades 5-9 will take place at the Williams Middle School Fields in two sessions. The first session will take place July 12–16, and the second will commence July 19-23. For grades K-5, the sessions will be hosted from 9 - 11:45 a.m. and for grades 5-9, the sessions will take place at 12:15 - 3 p.m.
The travel youth field hockey for girls season will start late in August and will run through the first week of November for grades 3-8. There are 20 girls per team; traveling to Agawam, Wilbraham, East Longmeadow, Holyoke, Westfield, Belchertown, Northampton and South Hadley. Each team participates in one or two tournaments or jamborees each season. For specific dates, reach out to the Recreation Department.
To round out the summer, advanced Karate and Tai Chi programs for ages 16 and up will be hosted at the Olde Town Hall from July 8-Aug. 28.
“We are so pleased to have the ability to offer safe and fun program options this summer,” said Jarvis. “We are licensed by the Longmeadow Board of Health. We are not requiring masks outdoors, but everyone wears one inside, even vaccinated staff and children.”
Families can register for these programs and many more online at www.lprd.net. For questions, call at 565–4160.