Summer Program Starts on Thursday

From BMX Racing to a reformulated Celebrate Revere Day to continued movie nights on Revere Beach, this year’s Revere Recreation Summer Program under first-year Director Michael Hinojosa is looking to expand its reach.

“I think [former Director] Adrienne [Maguire] nailed the young kids activities,” said Hinojosa this week. “She did that to perfection and we want to continue that formula. The one thing we might have been missing is stuff for junior high and high school kids. That’s what we’ve focused a lot of our efforts on. That’s one reason for our new Friday Night Lights basketball drop in league at Hill Park. We’re going to do the things for the little kids and then add things for the older kids. If you don’t, they won’t have anything to do. It’s also hard to figure out what they want to do. We’re going to try to throw many, many darts this year and see what sticks for them.”

Mayor Dan Rizzo said that component of the summer program was something he specifically charged Hinojosa with developing.

“I really did want the program this year to extend its reach to older kids – say those in their teens,” he said. “That’s something I’ve always felt strongly about and wanted to implement.”

The program will kick off this Thursday, June 27th, with a movie on Revere Beach at the Bandstand. Hinojosa said they will be offering Theatre Thursdays – or free family movies on the Beach every Thursday night – but will alternate locations between the Bandstand and Kelly’s Roast Beef.

The Revere Recreation Camp will be a key component for young people and will proceed in much the same way it always has. However, for the first four weeks, those who have signed up will be able to have their kids participate in a ‘Camp of the Week,’ basically a camp within a camp, at no extra charge.

The first extra camp will be a Soccer Camp conducted by former European professional Daniel Hristov. He said that new activity will also go hand in hand with a more structured day in the overall day camp.

“One thing we’ve heard is the parents drop their kids off in the morning and aren’t sure what they are doing from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.,” said Hinojosa. “We’ve structured it so parents will know exactly what their kids are doing during the day. We have some arts and crafts to add and, of course whiffle ball, is big. Our counselors are a nice blend of young kids and older kids ages 14 to 20 this year. We’re making sure they always have something to do with the camp kids.”

The special events this year will include the annual 4th of July celebration at Hill Park, and Celebrate Revere will now be combined with the National Sandsculpting Festival on Revere Beach. Instead of having Celebrate Revere in August, it will be on the last day (Sunday) of the Festival.

There will be entertainment, bands (including That’s That from Revere) and fireworks.

“The City really can’t afford to spend money on two sets of fireworks and it was easier for us to have it on the last day of Sandsculpting and have a great day,” he said. “It was something we thought Sandsculpting was missing.”

One new event this year will be the BMX Day at Hill Park on Aug. 10th. The Northeast Trick Stars will perform three shows and there will be a gigantic cookout and a bike decorating contest. The event will also feature a bike exchange, where residents can bring in a usable old bicycle to be given away to a needy family.

Another special event will be the new Revere Field Day, which will feature a unique competition between several City employee departments for the inaugural Revere Cup on Aug. 17th.

“I have commitments from the Revere Police, the Revere Fire, the DPW and the Revere Public Schools so far to put together teams to compete in six events – including a tug-of-war and an obstacle course,” said Hinojosa. “The winner will be crowned as the Revere Cup champion. The Cup is really a great way to get the whole community down to see this fun/serious competition. That will be a great day and it will end our summer program.”

Included in the Field Day will also be competitions for kids – with a winner from each grade level/age group being crowned. It will finish up with an evening meal and a movie at 8 p.m.

Other events include:

•Field Trips to new locations like Six Flags, Salem, and Liquid Water Planet.

•Sunday evening concerts on the American Legion Lawn.

•A Friday Night Lights basketball drop-in league at Hill Park in partnership with the Revere Police Activities League (PAL). Middle Schoolers will play from 5-7 p.m. and 14 and over will play from 7-9 p.m.

•Mini-muscles Monday will be a fitness program for kids in partnership with Revere’s Millions of Muscles.

•Monday Night March will be a weekly walk on the Urban Trail in West Revere.

•The lunch program and Parks Program will continue with Hill Park being the hub/destination for that effort. Nine parks will be used in the program.

•The Sea Kayaking Program on Revere Beach is back and stronger than ever. Call for a reservation.

“In all these things, we’re trying to create an atmosphere of this being a place to be – whether it’s the Stadium, Hill Park or anywhere else,” Hinojosa said. “We’re shooting for the sense of community where people are out and about in an active, safe way and participating in structured events.”

For a full, detailed schedule of events, check for the green insert in this week’s Journal, or stop by the Revere Recreation Department on Beach Street.