Gary Moskowitz
The two best aspects of summer for Meri Palasaniyan are going
swimming and wearing dresses every day.
Meri, a second-grader at John Muir Elementary School, is
participating in Parks Creating Futures, one of many local summertime
activities sponsored and organized by Glendale Parks, Recreation and
Community Services.
Many city programs have already started and most will run through
August.
"I like to come to the park and play with other kids," said Meri,
7. "Summer is fun because you get to wear bracelets and dresses and
do fun things."
The Parks Creating Futures program provides arts and crafts,
sports, games and other activities at Maple, Palmer, Carr and Fremont
parks. The program is geared toward children 6 to 15.
The city revitalized its day-camp program this summer by offering
different activities at each camp, instead of offering the same
program at each location, said Karen Fries, community services
supervisor for the city.
Four camps -- Summer Discovery Camp, Summer Blast, Summer
Spectacular and Summer Chillin' Teen Camp -- offer a variety of day
trips to places like the Santa Monica Pier, Magic Mountain,
Disneyland and Universal Studios. Camps vary in price and times.
"Of course, our aquatics program is always a popular choice when
it's hot outside," Fries said. "We are trying to provide activities
for all interests and age levels, and hopefully [people] will find
something they enjoy in all of this."
The summer aquatics program offers programs that include wading
pools for beginning swimmers, "Sharks" lessons in certain swimming
strokes, lifeguarding and recreational swimming. Wading pools are at
Brand, Palmer, Glenoaks, Dunsmore and Fremont parks and recreational
swimming is offered at Glendale and Hoover high schools.
