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Millis/Medway - Local Town Pages

Town Residents Ready for Recreation

Jul 01, 2020 08:31AM ● By J.D. O’Gara

Planning summer activities in 2020 has not been an easy task for Medway and Millis recreation directors. With residents reeling from a cooped-up spring, demand for some fun is high, but these town authorities are moving ahead with caution as well as enthusiasm.

“Last week I sent out an email, it was a survey, 107 responses, and asked what (residents) would be interested in,” says Millis Recreation Director Kris Fogarty, in early June, who had kicked planning into gear right after the opening of the state’s Phase II Covid-19 response. “I asked are you considering coming out if the safety protocols were in order, and it was a very positive response. One of the questions was, do you want to do a virtual class, and it was an overwhelming no. They want to get out. They want to socialize, basically. And If you can do it following the guidelines, and having the sanitizer and facemasks and social distancing, we’ll throw it out there.”

The issue, then, is how to make that happen while still prioritizing safety for the community.

“I think the biggest thing is social distancing kids who haven’t seen each other in months and just want to play and have fun,” says Julie Harrington, Director of Medway Parks & Recreation. “They’re not allowed to touch, it’s those kind of things and keeping them in the same group – (hard) if they may have a friend in another group, but it’s really about making sure everyone stays safe.”

Medway will run its Choate Summer program, a weekly themed program for children in grades Kindergarten through fifth, in August, and at press time was planning on beginning camp-type programs in mid-July. Choate Summer this year “will be small, because of rules and regulations, but we’ll do hiking and arts and crafts. We were going to do boating. I have to figure out what the state guidelines say. It will be a different summer. We’ll have games and some presenters come in.

In Millis, Fogarty says summer groups will be limited to 10, with eight kids to two instructors. Instructors, such as F.A.S.T. Athletics, with whom they work, must check out the guidelines on the state’s website and submit a plan for social distance and safety. Fogarty says she’s also keeping programs to half-day. Featured this year are tennis, golf, baseball/softball, dance, soccer, pickleball, chess and electronics programs. Fogarty is also thrilled to offer an Inclusive Summer Play Group for children of all abilities, called “Get Out and Play,” a half-day morning program for kids in grades K-5 starting July 27th.

Medway, in addition to planning Choate Summer and some summer programs, will be planning some community events as well.

“We’re going to do Yoga in the Park, for adults, on Tuesday nights in July at Choate Park. People can be outside,” says Harrington. She’s also very excited about Drive in Summer Concerts, Monday nights from 6-8 p.m., planned at Oakland Park (near Medway Senior Center). In addition to the parking lot, she says, “That parking lot is a lot bigger (than Choate) and there’s a field, there so people can socially distance on the field, too.” 

Another fun thing Harrington is excited about is Paddle Nights at Choate, starting on July 9th, from 6-7:30 p.m.

“We’re bringing in a boating company, and people can rent a kayak or canoe and just kind of boat around Choate.”

To sign up for Millis recreation programs, visit www.millis.org or https://millisrecreation.activityreg.com/ClientPage_t2.wcs . For any questions, please contact Kris Fogarty, Recreation Director at [email protected] .

For Medway’s summer programs, visit http://medwayma.myrec.com. For questions, contact Julie Harrington at [email protected].