Pay to play

Why are city summer recreation programs free while county programs aren't?

It is no wonder parents who want to sign their children up for summer recreation programs wait in line and take their chances on a lottery drawing at nearly all City of Albuquerque community centers. Those programs are free, or have a nominal charge for field trips and other special activities.

Over at Bernalillo County community centers, the lines weren't nearly as long for summer programs and a lottery drawing is not necessary. That's because the programs, which run from June through August are not free. Summer recreation programs at county community centers are $100 for the regular program from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and $200 for the extended program from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Children in these programs also have to pay extra for field trips and other activities.

The cost differences between city and county summer programs has at least one potential Bernalillo County Commissioner concerned.

"Why are we charging in the county, where some of our poorest families live?" said Art De La Cruz, fresh from his Democratic victory in the recent primary election. De La Cruz, a former Bernalillo County Parks and Recreation Director, is seeking the District 2 County Commission seat, and will face Republican challenger Cecilia CdeBaca in the general election in November.

"The city has found a way to make the summer rec programs affordable to families," De La Cruz said. "Why can't the county? I realize running these programs is expensive, but if the city is doing it for a much more affordable -- or free in some cases -- price, the county should be doing the same."

County Parks and Recreation Director Ed Chismar said these programs are very expensive to run. They pay staff and try to provide many activities for the families.

Both city and county summer programs are incredibly popular and much-needed by families looking to keep their children busy when school's out for summer. Some parents in the county would rather pay at one of the seven county centers, which are probably closer to home. 

 

Broken down, Chismar said the fees are affordable compared to what families might have to pay for child care. The cost comes down to $12.50 per week, per child. The extended program breaks down to $25 per week, per child. And the county also keeps the child to recreation leader ratio down by paying for staff so that there are 12 kids for every rec leader, Chismar said.

"Parents also know what they will have to pay at the YMCA or other programs," he said. "Our programs also are subsidized by the County, and we offer financial assistance for those families that qualify. With transportation costs, we continue to feel we are supporting all families through our programs, even if they have to pay a small amont for eight weeks of recreation."

The county subsidized more than $700,000 last year to help families who couldn't afford program costs for the year, including in the summer.

Still, some families would rather drive their kids to the nearest city- owned community center and take the chance on getting a free spot at one of the city's 24 community centers. De La Cruz said.

 

"I'm also hearing from families here that even if you get your kid in a county program they are cutting the activities," he said. "They cut back on the field trips because of gas prices. So now you are paying more, getting less and you have kids that are losing out."

Chismar, said that is not true. He said children in county summer programs are taken swimming weekly and get at least one field trip every week or more. The county has about 2,000 chiildren enrolled in its sumemr parks and recreation programs."

 

 

The city also runs a summer playground program, and there are fees attached to those programs, which were designed to help provide summer programs for children who did not get into the city's free recreation programs because of the space limitations.

 

City Family and Community Services director, Valorie Vigil, said fees for the playground programs were necessary because they are being run out of schools, not city-owned community centers. The city has about 3,500 children enrolled in the free summer programs at the various centers, and another 1,950 enrolled in the playground sessions at 13 different sites.

"But we want to keep the summer programs as inexpensive for our families as possible," she said. "The mayor and the city council think this is a worthwhile expense. It's something they have supported because of the impact it has on families and the help it gives them over the summer. The city is very proud of our community centers, and we want our families to use them."

 

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Economics