Austin Parks and Recreation Department will offer in-person summer camp programming this year with COVID-19 safety protocols in place.
The city says all campers and staff will be required to wear masks, and capacity inside facilities will be limited. Campers will be assigned to pods with no more than 10 people. And off-site field trips, swimming and other water activities have been canceled. The Parks department says it will provide free meals, but packing sack lunches is encouraged.
Registration, which usually occurs in February, was pushed back in order to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic locally. Parks and Recreation officials said this gave the department more time to plan summer programming around health and safety modifications.
Summer camp sign-ups for the following programs in June and July will be conducted through a lottery system:
- Virtual “Stay Creative” Summer Camp – starting June 7
- In-person Summer Camp (nature, art, general) – starting June 21
- Summer Playground Program – starting July 6
Registration is open from April 19 through May 16. The department will process lottery results and then confirm summer camp spots through May 28.
People will be asked to pay a deposit to secure camp enrollment, but the department has made all deposits refundable this year.
Parks and Recreation looking to fill 150 positions needed for summer camps
The Programming Division has resumed hiring and on boarding temporary staff members. Parks and Recreation is looking to fill about 150 positions needed to help with 2021 summer camp programs.
The department expects to hold most hiring and onboarding events virtually through May. Any in-person trainings will require face coverings and social distancing. People can apply for positions on the city's website.
February’s severe winter weather caused damages at some recreation centers used for summer camp programming. The Turner-Roberts Recreation Center and the Oswaldo A.B. Cantu/Pan American Recreation Center were both flooded.
Correction: This story was updated to say campers will be assigned to pods with no more than 10 people. Originally, the city said no more than eight people but later clarified the groups will include eight kids and two staff members.
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