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RECREATION PROGRAMS

Before a community decides what recreation facilities it needs, it is essential to plan what types of recreation programs should be offered by both the community and local organizations. Every­one in every community needs to keep in mind that "recreation is more than ball fields."  

• Recreation programs include not only competitive athletic programs for young people, but also leisure programs for persons of all ages.
• Recreation programs are extremely important to help people make the most worthwhile and enjoyable use of their leisure time. These are many of the major values of recreation and leisure programs:
  • Promoting physical fitness and health,
  • Developing the spirit of teamwork and fair play,
  • Building feelings of accomplishment, self-fulfillment and self-expression,
  • Offering worthwhile uses of leisure time that provide long-term satisfaction,
  • Developing useful skills, mental abilities and creativity,
  • Providing enjoyable social experiences,
  • Promoting wholesome activities for youth.
  • Providing oversight for children of working parents during the summer and after school.
  • Allowing opportunities for people to learn to relate to different types of people and
  • Encouraging the best possible use of available recreation facilities.

EXISTING PALMER TOWNSHIP RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS

• Palmer Township Athletic Association (AA) - The Palmer AA offers excellent youth organized sports programs. A summary of these programs are provided on the chart on page 11. These programs primarily involve baseball, softball, basketball, cheerleading, football, soccer and wrestling. The AA's programs are restricted to residents of Palmer Township .
•  The AA is partially funded by Palmer Township through the Township Recreation Board. Township funds are primarily used for uniforms, equipment and officials' fees. The children on each team also participate in fundraising to help fund additional miscellaneous costs. The coaches are all volunteers.
  

Palmer Pool - The Palmer Pool is financed through pool memberships, daily admission charges, snack bar sales and admission for special events.  

Special Interests - Hobbies, clubs, collector groups, chess, games, gardening, foreign languages and cooking.  

RECOMMENDED TOWNSHIP PROGRAMS

• The vast majority of needed recreation programs can probably best be carried out by providing adequate land and facilities at cost or for free for non-profit recreational and leisure groups, leagues and clubs. The township already offers affordable indoor meeting space at the library and the township building to leisure organizations.
• It is important that recreation programs serve persons of all age groups one needs.

Certain additional programs should be considered by the Athletic Association or other groups as the township's population and facilities expand, including the following:

• Nature Education Program- Programs geared towards all ages, but especially young teen-agers, should be in place to make people more aware of nature. This should include interpretative walks, self-guided walks, displays and trips. Portions of this program might best be conducted along township bike/walking trails and waterways and other natural areas of the township. The Wildlands Conservancy, the Roving Nature Center , the Bushkill Stream Conservancy, and other area organizations which provide local nature education programs should be contacted to seek their participation.
• Special Events- Certain additional special events could be sponsored such as an outdoor concert during the summer, with families encouraged to bring a picnic lunch. Ideas concerning a possible outdoor amphitheater are discussed in the "Recreation Facilities Plan" section of this document.
• Outdoor/Indoor Volleyball Teams- This should emphasize play by participants of all ages. The program preferably should be separated into teams at two or three different skills levels.
• Aerobics and Fitness Classes- These could be designed to be self-supporting, with the township's role mainly to provide adequate space, choosing qualified instructors, and helping with publicity. The instructors could be in charge of administering the program.
• Races - An annual race for runners and joggers along rural roads in the township and/or the township bike/walking trail. One race could be intended to be longer and more competitive, while another could be shorter and intended for a wider variety of persons, especially senior citizens and children. A non-competitive bicycling event should also be considered.
• Senior Programs- In cooperation with the area senior citizen organizations, the township should conduct programs aimed directly towards the interests of senior citizens. This could, for instance, include arts and crafts classes and senior fitness classes.

Possible Community Center Activities

SOCIAL ACTIVITIES/EVENTS

• Card Club
• Youth theatre
• Youth dances
• Square dancing
• Provide offsite meeting location for area businesses
• Hobby seminars
• Space for organizations to conduct meetings
• Organized after-school programs for youth
• Space for birthday parties, showers, family gatherings
• A location for indoor walking
• Arts and crafts
• Fitness programs geared toward individuals, teams and families
• Public interest seminars such as travel seminars, job fairs, financial planning, higher education, etc.
• Clinics/camps for various sports; basketball, volleyball, wrestling, etc.
• Educational tutoring
• Civic events such as fundraisers, food, clothing and blood drives
• Emergency/disaster location if necessary which will reduce the impact to the public school system should a disaster occur
• Aerobics classes scheduled to the level and convenience of various age groups
• Public speaker forums
• Activities to be coordinated by a professional staff

SPORTING ACTIVITIES

• Organized basketball in conjunction with the Palmer Athletic Association and intramural adult leagues
• Wrestling room will provide a facility for Palmer's wrestling team to practice and hold meets
• Cheerleading practice and karate
• Fitness center equipped with a variety of basic exercising equipment
• Volleyball leagues and instructional classes for beginners
• Indoor soccer leagues and clinics
• Pre-season baseball clinics with the use of nets and cages in conjunction with area colleges, high schools, and semi-pro instructors

HEALTH RELATED PROGRAMS

• Health education classes in conjunction with area hospitals presented by physicians or qualified healthcare professionals, i.e., reduce stress, healthy eating.
• Conduct prepared childbirth classes
• Community health fairs with participation of local healthcare providers
• Meeting place for the Easton Hospital Senior Circle program
• The following concepts should be kept in mind during design of all the programs:
  • Avoid Duplication - The township should emphasize providing types of recreation programs that are not currently being provided, and coordinating existing efforts by local groups. This township responsibility might include types of recreation programs, such as aerobics and fitness c1asses, that local groups such as the Athletic Association are less likely to undertake.
  • Self-Supporting - It is desirable to seek to have adult programs be self-supporting, after the initial start-up costs. Children's programs should pay for actual expenses for materials and supplies.
  • Fees and Demand - One method of handling periods of peak demand for facilities is to charge fees or charge higher fees only during these periods of the day, week and year when there is the most demand. This will encourage groups to schedule their activities during off-peak hours when the facility might normally be unused.

To view a table of the various programs within the township click here.

 

 

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