July may be Park and Recreation Month in Colusa, but the summer is only half over – and city recreation programs are still front and center.
Last year, the Colusa City Council declared July as “Parks Make Life Better Month,” as part of a national awareness campaign intended to inform citizens of the importances of access to local parks and open space.
This year, the City Council emphasized recreation for National Park and Recreation Month, which promotes physical activity and healthy lifestyles.
“Parks and recreation is an integral part of communities throughout this country, including the City of Colusa,” said Mayor Greg Ponciano.
Colusa is in its third year of enhanced recreation programming, which includes youth and adult activities, with a full-time recreation coordinator on staff for the first time in many years.
“We are about to half way through our second sessions of swim lessons,” said Recreation Coordinator Cliff Burrious, at the quarterly meeting of the Colusa Park, Recreation, and Tree on July 17. “It’s going pretty well. All the sessions have been full and we’ve got a lot of good things going.”
Swimming lessons have been available at five different levels, starting with beginning toddlers to advanced swimmers.
“We are pretty confident that next year we will be able to expand the class sizes,” said Burrious, who has more certified lifeguards lined up for 2024.
For $300, community members and businesses can sponsor free swim days for the youth in Colusa.
“That basically covers the cost for the lifeguards,” Burrious said.
Other summer programs include free youth tennis sessions and free adult yoga instruction.
Burrious said the tennis clinics were offered to about 35 youth by volunteer instructors Leo Steidlmayer and Jon Cheney, with another session scheduled for August.
Tennis is so popular, Burrious said he would like to expand opportunities next year to accommodate the large number of youth placed on a waitlist, as well as provide other free, low cost, or “sponsored” programs.
“We have a big demand for free programs,” Burrious said.
According to Ponciano’s proclamation declaring July as Parks and Recreation Month in Colusa, parks and recreation increases a community’s economic prosperity through increased property values, expansion of the local tax base, increased tourism, the attraction and retention of businesses, and crime reduction.
“Parks and recreation is fundamental to the environmental well-being of our community,” the proclamation states.
August recreation programs include archery ($15) for youth ages 7-18. The last Parent’s Night Out (kid’s night in), also $15, is scheduled for 6-8 PM on Aug. 4. Free Pickleball is each Friday at 10 AM by the Scout Cabin.
For more information on public swim, adult lap swim, senior swim, aqua Zumba, soccer camp, and other programs, visit the Park and Recreation Department’s summer activity guide at cityofcolusa.com, City Hall, or by contacting recreation@cityofcolusa.com. ■