Millerton appoints recreation director, plans summer camp

MILLERTON — This summer will mark the return of a recreation program aimed at providing children with a six-week program at Eddie Collins Park.

The Village of Millerton, with support from the Town of North East, will run a program from July 1 to Aug. 9.

The Village has hired Crystal McCarthy, a Millerton resident, as a part-time Recreation Director. The summer camp will be run by Sebastian Bauer, who will collaborate with McCarthy.

“The goal is to bring more events with more community orientation to the park,” said Mayor Jenn Najdek. The mayor also said that programs in the park would be aimed at all age groups — from young children to seniors and including organizations.

McCarthy, who has worked as a nuclear medicine technologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City and at Nuvance Health, among others, also is a triathlete and avid cyclist.

“My goal is to utilize the park at its fullest potential throughout the year,” McCarthy said in an interview. “I’m very excited.”

“I want to bring the community together, and that includes the children, retirees and visitors to Millerton,” she said. McCarthy also envisions bringing charity events to Eddie Collins Park, including those promoting cancer research and including the United Way.

The Recreation Director is a paid part-time position in the Village budget. Najdek, who has been involved in recreation programs at the park since she was 15 years old and then as a lifeguard at age 16, said she doesn’t recall when Millerton ever having an actual paid position for Recreation Director.

The six-week program marks the return of a camp at Eddie Collins since pre-pandemic days. Najdek said Bauer still is working out details about the program. It is expected to run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the age group 5 to 13.

In 2010, the cost for a summer camp program for parents was $85. The price for this summer’s program is expected to be $100 per resident child.

Residents of the Village and the Town of North East can participate in the program.

Some consideration is being made for early dropoff for working parents, but details aren’t yet established.

Najdek said McCarthy will the “the point person to be creative and think out of the box” for ways to expand and enhance recreation in the park, including concert, and possible athletic leagues for soccer and basketball, both of which already are popular uses of the park with impromptu games.

Eddie Collins Memorial Park is undergoing a phased renovation. In 2016, with the leadership of Stephen Waite, a committee was formed to revitalize the park. Significant funding has been raised to date. A next phase calls for a swimming pool, and in coming months — as a result of donations — lights will be added to the ball field that also has been rejuvenated.

At the Town of North East Board meeting on Thursday, May 9, Deputy Supervisor Lana Morrison reported that she had met with Najdek about new program and communicated that it would be open to all Town of North East residents.

Crystal McCarthyProvided