Pools open this weekend; camps, programs set to begin
By Mary Ellen Day, Special to the News
Newly hired Manville Recreation Director Stephanie Cornelson has been busy putting together the department’s summer programs.
Pools open this Saturday, June 22, through the end of August.
Memorial Pool is open seven days a week, noon7 p.m. for the big pool and noon-6 p.m. for the kiddie pool. Cooper Pool in Lost Valley is open 3-7 p.m. Monday to Friday, and noon-7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Pool badges for the season are $30 for adults and children over age 3, $15 for seniors and children under age 3. Day badges can be purchased for $5.
”Although we are reducing the public hours at Cooper, we are actually offering more programs that would allow this pool to be utilized by more community members,” said Ms. Cornelson.
There will be swim lessons offered at four different levels Baby & Me, Beginner I and II and Advanced Beginner. These begin July 8 at Memorial Pool in the mornings before general use hours begin.
For aqua aerobics, there is one program at Cooper Pool for seniors. The program will be expanding to offer another morning class and a night class, which will be offered to seniors and adults. The recreation department is working with the Somerville YMCA to provide certified instructors.
”We are bringing in two new instructors for aqua aerobics,” she said. “I am still working on another that they have done in the past with (Councilwoman) Sue Asher, so I am gathering information on that.”
Summer camp at Weston School will be held the weeks of July 8 and 15. The camp is open to children going into 1st through 4th grades and will be held from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Campers are invited to have a field trip to Memorial Pool one or two times during the week.
For older students the two- to three-week ABIS Splash Camp will be held for four hours a day at Cooper Pool. This camp was formerly at the intermediate or high schools’ gymnasium but summertime to repairs at the schools forced the move to Cooper Pool. Registrations will be taken in the beginning of July.
Possible programs include adults-only swim nights and possibly a Parents Night Out.
“We would offer a 2½-hour supervised pool and pizza time for a fee so that parents could have a date night,” she said. “We would like to offer this two or three times during the summer but this program would depend on the availability of pool managers and lifeguards.”
Pool rentals for private parties are available only from 7-9 p.m., when the pool is closed to the public. The fee would be $150 for one pool and $200 for use of both. This also depends on availability of pool managers and lifeguards.
Any Manville group who would like to use the pools is encouraged to contact Ms. Cornelson.
Programs that have started and still can be joined include chair aerobics for seniors, which runs until Aug. 14, from 8:45 a.m.-9:45 p.m. at the Manville Senior Center and the Senior Zumba Gold, which runs until Aug. 15 from 10-11 a.m.
The arts and crafts program may only be run at Memorial Park for two days a week to start. Ms. Cornelson wants to see how successful it will be and may add days. The program will begin in July.
Movie nights are in the works again. As details are finalized Ms. Cornelson said information will be publicized.
Another idea in the works is observance of National Night Out, a crime prevention night, on Aug. 6.
For information about programs, call Ms. Cornelson at 908-725-9478, ext. 121, or email [email protected].