66
« on: February 28, 2006, 10:53:15 PM »
I thank you for bringing this subject up again. I believe the Boys and Girls Club would be a wonderful idea for Hackensack. While Hackensack has both the recreation department and the PAL, both are located on the edge of town and not centrally located. There is a pool at the high school but not open to use by residents. The cost to register a kid with the B&G in Lodi is minimal. I estimate that it is less than the cost of registering a child for 3 recreation programs during the different seasons. The B&G Club could offer tutoring classes, arts & crafts, swimming, karate among other programs. A gym in the facility with bleachers would offer a safer playing surface than the kitchen floor at the Marinello Center. I have watched several basketball games there where children have suffered serious injuries as a result of individuals walking on the floor in bad weather because there is nowhere else to walk. I would be willing to volunteer my time to the B&G or any other recreation program however, I do not drive and would need transportation. Centrally locating a community recreation program would make it easy for all. Bus transportation & routes are already in place and even if there were not, anywhere in the Main Street area would be a breeze to walk.