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The Mobile Recreation Trailer Gets Funded After All

Park City Recreation Department

The Park City Council decided to fund only the top three winners of their Innovation Challenge in March during their annual retreat. The recreation department’s idea fell just short of winning but after the fiscal year was over – the recreation manager found out they had just enough money left over to fund the Mobile Recreation Trailer and city council gave them the green light. Two months later and the trailer is already delivering smiles to the young and older Parkites. Melissa Allison has more:

It’s not often you see small children run up to hug the mayor but that’s exactly what happened on Tuesday at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Mobile Recreation Trailer.

The event took place at City Park where children in the summer camp program were not shy about digging in and playing with the countless toys provided.

Eight-year-old Alex stood patiently next to Mayor Andy Beerman as KPCW asked him about the event. Once Beerman noticed her she asked if she could hug him.

“You wanna hu….oh, thank you,” Beerman asked.

“Thank you for bringing all of this here, we really love it,” Alex said

“Oh, thank you so much,” Beerman said, “I’m happy you’re here.”

“How can you not love it when you see how much fun everyone is having?”

KPCW asked Alex why she wanted to hug the mayor.

“I really like the mayor and all of these toys because some people don’t really get all of this,” Alex said. “And it’s nice that they’re giving it and coming around everywhere. And I like seeing everyone smile.”

Seven-year-old Cormac didn’t want to be left out.

“I think this place is the best place I’ve ever been to,” Cormac said. “And summer camp.”

While Beerman enjoyed the hugs from the younger community members, he said he couldn’t take the credit.

“I just want to give some credit to our rec department for coming up with this great little idea,” Beerman said. “They do a ton in the community with their programs to involve our youth and to reach out and involve our underserved youth, we’ve got lots of opportunities for them to participate in recreation. But I think this is really, its thoughtful to come up with an idea that we’re going to bring the recreation to the neighborhood, so everybody can participate.”

Recreation Manager Ken Fisher who pitched the idea in March said once they knew they had enough money – everyone was behind the idea.

“The end of the fiscal year we had some money left in the recreation budget and city council said use the funds and get this going,” Fisher said. “They are real supportive of the mobile recreation trailer and they wanted to get it out and going as soon as possible.”

The plan is for children to self-organize but just in case, a couple of staff members will be present to help kids start playing.

Fisher says they’ve got everting in the trailer, and if they don’t have it, the kids just have to ask.

“So, we have everything from arts and crafts, to cornhole, Frisbee golf, to tug-of-war, to play kickball,” Fisher said. “We’ve got, play tennis, baseball, we’ve got wiffle ball , basketball, footballs, and most importantly if kids come and they say, ‘Boy I’d like to have this or that,’ we can go and get it and get that in the trailer.”

Beerman said they’re even looking into hosting some block parties with what he calls, a party in a box.

“We’re trying to get creative now,” Beerman said. “We’re doing yoga Saturday mornings, where we’re hanging out and drinking coffee and talking with our residents and we’re trying to get creative. So, this is gonna be one of the ways we’re going to get creative and it's also a way we can just expand our rec program and has nothing to do with city communications.”

Fisher estimates between staffing the mobile recreation trailer and replenishing the art supplies and snacks – it will cost about $10,000.

The trailer will be at the Park City High School on Thursday from 10 to noon in the softball field and at the Aspen Villas on Tuesday with the same schedule.

Once school starts, Fisher said they’ll be at the McPolin Elementary School on Fridays from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

The program will take a break during the winter and Fisher said they’ll reevaluate the program at the end of this fiscal year.

For more information about the program, you can visit parkcity.org

I’m Melissa Allison, KPCW News.