City recreation program winds down
By KAYLEIGH KARUTIS, The Leader-HeraldArticle Photos
GLOVERSVILLE - On Friday, a group of about 15 city kids eager to participate in the city's summer recreation program chatted and laughed while on a city transit bus en route to the Fulton County YMCA.
Second Ward Councilman John Castiglione rode on the bus with the children, as he has done for nearly every day of five-week program, and brought boxes of ice cream sandwiches for them to enjoy after their day of swimming, sports and games.
The kids discussed what they liked best about the program - most said swimming - and talked about the pinata they took turns whacking Thursday.
"Did you like that piata?" one girl asked the little boy next to her. "The candy was delicious."
Transit Manager Al Schutz said about 17 children on average rode the bus each day. YMCA officials put average attendance rates at around 30 children each day. Schutz said local businesses owner Anthony Pazzaglia, who owns EnviroSmart Roofing, donated $500 to the city to pay for the childrens' transportation.
The program had about 700 visits, said YMCA Senior Vice President Ginny Turner.
"I think overall it was a really successful program," Turner said. "For the last week we had lots of extra activities ... we tried to make it like a carnival."
Some of the activities included a dunk tank, the pinata, a bounce house, a clown and other treats, she said.
"All of the kids made thank-you cards for [the Transit Department]," she said.
Turner said without the city bus, many of the children who participated probably would not have been able to attend. She called the arrangement a great example of cooperation between two organizations.
Castiglione said while he was in favor of using the $11,000 spent on the program for an all-ages swim program at the Gloversville Middle School, he still was happy to see how much the children enjoyed the program at the YMCA.
Last year the Common Council spent about the same amount on a five-week swimming program at the middle school that accepted all ages. The program at the YMCA accepted children between 6 and 14 years old.
"It's important for the kids to have some sort of recreation," he said. "I think those that attended the program were very happy with it."
Serena VanNostrand, 12, said she hopes the city has a program again next year and said while she enjoyed the gymnastics, games, sports and computer usage, swimming was her favorite activity. She said she has attended every day and rides her bike to the transit station and back for transportation.
"I hope they have it every year," she said.
Kayleigh Karutis covers Gloversville news. She can be reached at gloversville@leaderherald.com
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cruella
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08-09-09 9:19 PM
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Reader, I don`t drink nor do I take drugs or as you put it meds! And no, I am not having trouble with my key board. Maybe you should have your eyes checked. Or are you having a problem with your key board? Or maybe you have had to much to drink, who are you the mayor?
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reader
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08-09-09 8:21 PM
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Cruella, are you having a problem with your key board, or on some kind of meds, or having a few drinks while posting? (5:59 post)
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cruella
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08-09-09 6:00 PM
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That he`s not his Thanks.
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cruella
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08-09-09 5:59 PM
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What did Mr.Cast do to get votes?? It sure wasn`t forgery like ONE of the other political candidates did was it?? And are we letting HIM get with this?? I hope not! But his got all his female council friends to help out of this one!! Better open your eyes Mrs.B.P. and smell the Roeses! And MountaiMan, I think all but three are frauds On that council not christians like I heard they were!
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reader
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08-09-09 3:08 PM
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A stranger giving ice cream to kids? My kids were taught better than that, they would have run away from him. What will this guy do next to get votes, wash down the Library?
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Discobulous
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08-08-09 6:31 PM
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Well, let's see....Castog gives out some cream pies or something and for that he'll get votes? Doubt it. If the kids go home and tell their parents a fuzzy grownup handed out goodies, they will probably call for an investigation.
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Adirondackal
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08-08-09 2:15 PM
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How FREE is Hughesfest,drf? I for one cannot wait to see how much was spent on this boondoggle and how much of it actually trickles down to which social services agency.
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tinbucktoof
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08-08-09 11:14 AM
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Hey Route, by the show of the numbers or lack there of, it still looks like many kids were still out on the streets. On average 17 kids a day? Let's do away with the childish behavior from certain council people and do what's best for the children of this community and bring it back to the middle school next year.
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tinbucktoof
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08-08-09 11:06 AM
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Gee where was Robin Wentworthless?? Wasn't this her grand idea to wrestle this summer program away from the school district and send it out to the Y?? HA, she didn't care how many kids showed up, all she cared about was the political p*$$ing match she has going on with castligne and to take his thunder away so to speak for his support of the school district and their summer swim program!!!
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Dirtracefan
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08-08-09 9:57 AM
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Today is a beautiful day, lets all go to RAIL-FEST and support our community. I am taking the rail trail to get there from Johnstown and this will be my first time going. The park in Gloversville looks fantastic and it took lots of hard work and planning, so lets go and have some fun, its free.
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route66
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08-08-09 9:23 AM
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At least the kids had someone where to go for fun. It is not fair that the children in this community have no recreation and then they are blamed for wandering the streets. There should be more advanced planning next year for such a program. If it was advertised in the schools the usage would increase. I do think $11,00 is expensive for five weeks. By the way I paid $80 a week for my child to attend the camp at the YMCA. If a child would like to join the YMCA they can apply for aid if they cannot afford it.
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cruella
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08-08-09 8:48 AM
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Well, I guess we see who wears the pants at cityhall, can`t we! It`s Robin and Brenda, the ones that were responsible for the loss of the school proposal, and of course don`t let me forget Mayor Hughes!! And good for you Mr. Cast for being there for the kids for what ever reason! At least you were there, even though you disagreed with the Y.
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DirtyHarry
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08-08-09 8:39 AM
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The program never wound up as many kids in the City didn't even participate! What a waste of taxpayer money!
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Adirondackal
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08-08-09 7:32 AM
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The actual cost to Gloversville city taxpayers was $14,000. $14,000 to send between 17 and 30 children to the YMCA for a period of five weeks? Checking the Y's website, youth memberships cost $100 for the entire year. So for the same expenditure, the do gooders on the council could have purchased ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY youth memberships to the Y. Or figuring on their own figures of 30 participants, $14000 would have broken down to $467 per child which could have flown each child round trip to Disneyworld for two weeks. The political clowns that are running Gloversville never cease to amaze me when it comes to wasting money.
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citizen60
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08-08-09 7:16 AM
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Well let's see. $11,0000, 700 visits, that works out to $15.71 per child per visit. What a waste the Y was, the middle school was the better option. What could you have done with $15 per child per day?
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MountainMan
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08-08-09 1:48 AM
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I am not sure what to be more disgusted at: a Councilman shamelessly going after votes for an election a month away (he really isn't doing it for the kids), or the L-H printing such a puff piece without going after the real issues. We all remember when the city was in the hole, right? The city had to raise taxes and cut services to eliminate a $1 million deficit. Well, we are now sitting on a $800,000 surplus, with taxpayers paying more to receive less for a return. That money is just sitting there and doing nothing. The City Council has two options: (1) Use the money to fix our roads, pay for snowplows, and hire more police/fire services, and don't go after recreation fluff (2) or, give us our money back and cut our taxes. John Castigilone is a fraud.
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