By Emma Longwell, Interning Correspondent for The Apopka Voice
The Apopka City Council approved a new summer camp program for local youth to be held at the Fran Carlton Community Center. Radley Williams, Apopka Parks and Recreation Director, presented the program at its March 19th meeting.
The camp will run Mondays through Fridays from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, offering recreational activities and field trips for youth aged 6 to 13. However, the approval process sparked a significant debate over concerns regarding affordability, accessibility, and equity, particularly for families residing outside the city limits.
The camp will be offered in eight single-week sessions between June 2nd and July 25th, with a break on July 4th.
Registration fees are $125 per week for City of Apopka residents and $150 per week for non-residents. The camp includes field trips and transportation to various local destinations, including Edwards Field for outdoor athletics, the Apopka Splash Pad for water days, Apopka Action Sports Park, and Phillis Wheatley Elementary School Gym for indoor athletics.
The camp will also provide transportation to the Northwest Recreation Complex for outdoor athletics and one off-site field trip per week.
Lunch is not included. Families must provide meals for their children. The camp has 100 camper slots available per session.
A scholarship program funded by Advent Health will provide $15,000 annually for youth recreational programs, including the summer camp. Scholarships offer 25% or 50% fee reductions but are only available to Apopka residents.
The city council acknowledged that there were few scholarship applicants in previous years and discussed increasing outreach to better publicize the program and encourage more families to apply.
"If we're good to proceed, we would look to advertise this camp registration starting this weekend," said Radley Williams.
The council voted to approve the summer camp program, with a commitment to review the accessibility of the scholarship program and explore additional financial aid options. Williams stated that he would meet with city officials to review funding options for the program.
The council also discussed gathering information on alternative summer programs, including those offered by the Boys & Girls Club at the John Bridges Community Center, to ensure that all families can access multiple opportunities.
As registration for the camp opens, city officials encourage families to apply for scholarships and share information about financial aid opportunities.
