By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

(Feb. 13, 2020) Stephen Decatur Park will now have access to a Worcester County Recreation and Parks toddler gym and tennis court sessions after the county proposal was approved by the Berlin mayor and Town Council during Monday’s meeting.

By Morgan Pilz
Myro Small represents the Worcester County Recreation and Parks Department during a motion to approve a toddler gym and two tennis activities at Stephen Decatur Park during the Berlin mayor and Town Council meeting on Monday, Feb. 10.

Several adult and youth tennis clinics will take place weekly on Tuesdays beginning May 5 to May 26 from 6-8 p.m., as well as a Wednesday toddler gym program starting May 13 and ending June 10 from 10-11 a.m.

“The toddler gym program is devoted to families within the community with toddlers ages 1-5 years old,” Myro Small, of the Recreation and Parks Department told the council.

“This program will promote social interaction amongst the families as well as our program managers providing physical activities.”

The fee to participate in the four-week toddler gym program is $20 per family. Financial aid is available for families who qualify. The toddler gym program has been used in Snow Hill for the past five years and averages around 30 families per quarter for each session.

“We’re trying to duplicate the same thing here at the northern end of the county,” Small said.

The tennis stroke clinic is an activity the department offers in the fall. The program was so popular that residents asked that it be taught again in the spring. The clinic is taught by tennis professional Buzz Truitt.

Additionally, the department is offering a drop-in tennis clinic, which was popular in the fall, Small said. Each drop-in session costs $3. The drop-in clinic is open to the community.

“The reason why we’re offering the program for a second time is because it’s in high demand and has been requested,” Small said. “We get a lot of emails and phone calls asking when our next program being offered at Stephen Decatur Park.”

For both programs, equipment will be provided by the Recreation and Parks Department.