Blue Springs Parks & Recreation is #BlueSpringsStrong

This has been a highly unusual spring and summer for Blue Springs Parks and Recreation. Events were planned and cancelled at the last minute, playgrounds were closed, sports were not played.

“We were as disappointed as our residents that we couldn’t deliver the programs we are use to offering or open the playgrounds that are an essential part of summer for so many children,” said Parks and Recreation Director, Dennis Dovel. “Our staff works year-round to come up with quality recreational programs and opportunities for our residents. It certainly was not our desire to cancel some of these programs or to have closed the playgrounds, but we understand the impact of COVID-19 and we have a social responsibility to the community as a whole.”

Since lifting the Stay-At-Home Order in May, the county has slowly began allowing occupancy accommodations for many programs. And parks staff has been working with the county to find creative ways to still host many of the more popular programs.

When parks staff knew the usual crowds of 200-300 would well-exceed the county’s limits on gatherings at the popular Movies in the Park programs, they shifted gears to offer a Drive-In version instead to allow for social distancing.

For the Summer Day Camp program at the Fieldhouse, parks staff had to limit the number of children who could sign up each week and perform daily temperature checks, make sure that masks were worn at all times and the groups didn’t intermix to avoid potential cross-contamination. One of the biggest changes was that the counselors could no longer take the campers on the once-beloved field trips – so parks staff had to get creative. They brought in Kona Ice one day, the Young Rembrandts another for painting lessons, and even held a Summer Olympics for the campers.

“We’ve had to really be creative and fun with the activities we were able to do in order to keep everyone safe,” Dovel said. “We’re doing the best we can to provide quality, and safe recreational programs to the community under the circumstances.”

Dovel says that while there have been many challenges during this time, one positive thing the pandemic brought to the forefront was the importance of a healthy and strong Parks and Recreation system.

“When we were in full lock-down and parks and trails were one of the only places people could go outside their home – it really showed the value of a robust parks system to our community,” he said. “Parks are essential for stress relief, socialization, meals and nutrition, childcare programs and creating healthier communities through fitness. They are an essential aspect of the community’s well-being.”

Thank you to the City of Blue Springs, The Examiner, Community Services League Blue Springs, and Downtown Alive for supporting our local small businesses. Together, we are #BlueSpringsStrong!