Watertown’s summer camp, that has run for more than half a century, will not be taking place during the summer of 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak, announced Recreation Director Peter Centola.
Centola sent out the following letter:
The Pequossette Summer Program has served our Watertown residents for the past 52 years and made a life changing positive impact on our children in terms of physical, emotional and social learning and development. The Pequossette Program has also fostered a nurturing and mentoring environment for our adolescent and young adult staff to assist them in their
development.
Over the past several years, under the direction of Director Brian Donato, the Pequossette Summer Program has served approximately 237 children per week and employed over 70 dedicated and talented staff.
As you are well aware, the COVID19 pandemic has negatively impacted life as we know it and dramatically limited our ability to offer opportunities as we once did in a safe and practical atmosphere.
Over the past several weeks, members of our full time recreation staff and Pequossette leadership have discussed and lamented on the possibility that our Pequossette Summer Program would not be offered this season for a multitude of reasons.
We have also reached out to other Recreation Departments, YMCA’s as well as Boys and Girls Clubs in the local area, specifically our Boys and Girls Club in Watertown.
Our working group has also been very attentive to our state and local governments directives and of course our requirements and recommendations from our health professionals.
We certainly understand our responsibility for us to offer our families active and passive recreational opportunities during the summer, especially for our working parents. However, our first responsibility is for the health and safety of our staff and each of our participants.
As a former Apache Counselor under the direction of the late and great Mr. C and as the Director of Recreation, I am very saddened to announce that we will cancel Camp Pequossette for the 2020 season out an abundance of caution to protect the health and safety of our participants and staff.
Although Camp Pequossette is cancelled, we are rigorously brainstorming and researching creative ways to offer passive and active recreational programs which will adhere to the Governor’s Phase IV requirements, be safe, practical, fun and responsive to the recreational wants and needs of our residents as in line with our mission statement.
Please feel free to reach out to me for any questions, concerns or comments and consider our “Open Forum” meeting by way of Zoom on Wednesday at 7:00.
To join the Watertown Recreation Open Forum Zoom meeting, go to
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89324061347?pwd=emdoOUl0NFZBZS81L0Z4RC82
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