Michael Moran, recreation supervisor for Belmont City’s youth and teen division, told the Parks and Recreation Commission on Oct. 1 that the division saw higher participation this summer across aquatics and camp programs and is rolling out new scholarships, program changes and digital tools to manage growth.

Moran said the youth and teen unit—which he described as “a strong team of 3.5 full time employees”—ran summer aquatics at Claremont High School for six weeks, launched a revamped swim lesson curriculum aligned with the American Red Cross, and for the first time will offer aquatic scholarships funded by City Council allocations for the 2026 season.

Why it matters: The changes affect daily programming for Belmont families, expand access through scholarship funding and shift more program management into the youth and teen division, including aquatics. Staff said the changes were guided by participant surveys and usage data captured through the department’s ActiveNet (Connect) system.

Key program figures and changes

- Aquatics: Staff reported hiring 16 part-time aquatics employees (about eight returning staff); nine of those part-time hires were Belmont residents. Swim lessons covered ages 4–16. The department recorded 1,433 visits for lap and recreational swim during the scheduled pool hours and ran three eight-lesson swim-session blocks. The swim-aide volunteer program grew to 13 participants, up from four the prior year.

- Camp SOAR (Camp Summer Outdoor Adventure & Recreation): The division reported roughly 30 part-time staff for Camp SOAR, 17 of whom were returning; about 20 of the part-time staff were Belmont residents. Enrollment figures reported by staff were about 837 enrollments in 2025 (staff presented historical comparisons on slides). The department said 84% of Camp SOAR participants were Belmont residents.

- CIT and volunteers: Sixty-eight youth applied to the counselor-in-training (CIT) program; 48 were accepted and together contributed about 2,100 volunteer hours across the eight-week program. Staff said seven part-time staff this year were former CIT participants.

- Inclusion/Adaptive Camp: The youth and teen division funded a second-year summer inclusion (to be renamed Adaptive Camp in 2026). Staff sold out four of five weeks, with 24 total sign-ups and capacity set at 25. The program provided individualized support, including a “Cozy Corner” sensory room.

- Scholarships and donations: Department staff said community donations totaled $2,500. They reported awarding $2,155.20 in Camp SOAR scholarships and $155 to contractor-run camps, and noted the City Council has allocated $8,000 for year-round scholarship funding for 2026. The department said the 2026 scholarship funds will be split across seasons (e.g., winter/spring, summer, fall) and applications will open Dec. 1, 2025.

- Fees and passes: Staff said a resident swim lesson costs $17.50 per lesson. For pool passes, staff explained a new digital model: a 10-visit pass equates to about $7.50 per visit and a 20-visit pass about $7.00 per visit (the department plans to phase out punch cards and move to digital passes through Connect/ActiveNet).

- Operations and technology: The division is using the Connect (ActiveNet) platform for check-in/check-out and participant notes. Staff showed examples of check-ins and timestamps (for example, a recorded check-in time of 08:17 and checkout of 16:08 on a sample day) and said this data informed program-hour changes.

- Scheduling and program design: Because usage data and family survey responses indicated limited demand for the former aftercare window, Camp SOAR hours will change in 2026 from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. to 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m., with the department absorbing the prior extended-care fee into the base tuition (staff said half of the prior $30/week extended-care fee will be rolled into regular camp pricing to cover the 30-minute extension).

Participant feedback and quality indicators

Staff said they survey attendees after sessions and posted mid-summer and end-of-summer surveys; they reported roughly 120 responses on average for camp surveys. Moran said this was the first summer at Barrett Community Center in which zero respondents marked “camp was unsafe” on safety questions—a change staff attributed to the more contained facility at Barrett compared with the prior Twin Pines Park location.

Commissioners praised the department’s work and asked for follow-up items including a geographic “heat map” of participant addresses; Moran said he will produce and share that mapping in a subsequent report. Commissioners also asked for more programming ideas for the 12–14 age group; staff said the city had discussed a middle-school-style program (previously called Eagle Ridge) and is evaluating timing for pilot offerings in 2026 or 2027.

Staff direction and next steps

Staff said they will:
- Open 2026 scholarship applications on Dec. 1, 2025; award allocations will be published with program guides.
- Continue the shift to Connect/ActiveNet digital passes and check-in for lessons and Camp SOAR.
- Offer adaptive and private swim lessons in 2026 to serve families requesting that option.
- Produce a heat map of participant residences and report back to the commission.

Ending

Commission members thanked staff for the report and for maintaining accessible pricing and volunteer pathways that feed into part-time and full-time employment with the city. No formal action or vote was taken on program changes at the meeting.