Shawangunk camp to include Crawford kids

By RICK REMSNYDER
Posted 3/29/23

The Town of Shawangunk summer camp is hoping to attract its share of kids from the neighboring Town of Crawford this summer.

Deputy Supervisor Adrian “Binker” DeWitt, who chairs the …

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Shawangunk camp to include Crawford kids

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The Town of Shawangunk summer camp is hoping to attract its share of kids from the neighboring Town of Crawford this summer.

Deputy Supervisor Adrian “Binker” DeWitt, who chairs the town’s Recreation Committee, made the announcement at the Town Board’s March 16 meeting.

DeWitt said the six-week camp would run from July 5 through August 11. He said the six-week program, which includes three trips and breakfast and lunch each day, will cost $600 for Town of Shawangunk and Crawford residents.

The cost for residents outside the town will be $675.
DeWitt said the Town of Crawford offers a four-week camp, with a cost of roughly $500 per camper.

“The theory behind this is I think a lot of parents would rather send their kids to a six-week camp,” DeWitt said.

Supervisor John Valk explained after the meeting that it wasn’t unusual for Shawangunk and Crawford to share services.

“Our kids go back and forth to different programs,” Valk said. “It makes sense. It’s kind of like shared services. A lot of our seniors in Walker Valley go to the Town of Crawford on Tuesday. Then the Town of Crawford people come to our senior group on Wednesday, so they have two days together.”
Valk said the two towns also share parks for Little League.

“It’s kind of a cooperative effort,” Valk said.

The board hired summer camp director Gillian Batchasingh at $23.76 an hour and assistant camp director Patricia Williams at $19.01 an hour.

In other news, Valk said he sent a letter of support to Congressman Pat Ryan requesting federal funding to finish the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail north of the hamlet. The $1.5 million grant would connect the Town of Gardiner trail to Denniston Road to Birch Road.

“(The grant) would include design, engineering, permitting, construction and management,” Valk said. “It depends on the federal process, but they expect possibly this project would be implemented by 2024.”

The Municipal Parks and Recreation Grant (MPRG) is a matching grant program funded by the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF). It was established by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) in March 2021, of which Ulster County received $34.49 million.

The goal of SLFRF was to provide vital federal support to state, local and tribal governments as they address the negative health and economic impacts of COVID-19 in their communities.

The board also discussed using part of the grant to acquire new playground equipment for town parks.

Valk said the Town’s Environmental Management Council (EMC) had recommended the town install two charging stations for electric vehicles at the town hall.

Valk said the town would prefer to locate them by the old firehouse rather than use up parking spaces in front of the town hall, since those parking spots include accessible parking spaces for those with disabilities.

“I stressed to the EMC that they were taking away parking for this building (town hall),” Valk said, noting the building is busy for various meetings and court.

The board voted 5-0 to issue a mass gathering for the United Sherpa Association, which will sponsor an event on its property on April 8.

Police Chief Gerald Marlatt said last year’s United Sherpa event didn’t cause any problems.

“There were no issues at all,” Marlatt said. “There were no complaints from the neighbors.”