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After hosting completely virtual summer camps last year due to the Covid-9 pandemic, the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation during a Senate Committee hearing Wednesday detailed how it plans on returning to in-person camps this summer, as the territory’s positivity rate remains low and vaccinations increase. The plan incorporates Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines along with protocols established the V.I. Department of Health and V.I. Department of Human Services.
According to Calvert White, D.S.P.R. commissioner, the programs will include baseball, basketball, softball, football, soccer, volleyball, cheerleading, dance, gymnastics, cultural and arts, lacrosse and a marine camp. The availability of the respective camps vary per island. Mr. White stated throughout the hearing that there will be no contact during the sporting activities, instead individual skills and conditioning will be the focus.
Each camp will be limited to no more than 50 campers, with some accommodating only 25. Campers will be split into pods of 10 and there will be one adult per 10 campers. This will help with contact tracing in the event of a positive Covid case, Mr. White explained.
The camps will begin on June 14 and end on July 23, and are open to children ages 7-17. The cost for D.S.P.R.’s 2021 Summer Camps is $125 per camper ($100 per second sibling), an average of about $20 a week for a five-day, eight-hour program for the first child. Mr. White was proud of the cost and expressed doubt that a 6-week camp would be as reasonable as $125 anywhere.
Background checks will be completed for all staff and contract workers.
There will be facial scanners, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer stations, sneeze guard desk shields, hand washing stations, masks, gloves, cleaning supplies, and sanitizing defoggers. There will also be specific guidelines for pick-up and drop-off among other protocols to ensure the safety of campers and staff. At the end of his testimony, Mr. White said, “Our goal is to have a successful six weeks without incident. However, I must put it on the record that there is no blueprint for this. Instead, every day will be a learning experience for us and we will adjust accordingly.”
The location of the camps are the Alvin McBean Sports Complex, Emile Griffith Park, Joseph Aubain Ballfield, Kirwin Terrace Ballfield, Winston Raymo Center, Lionel Roberts Stadium, and Lockhart Elementary School Sprung on St. Thomas. On St. Croix the locations are DC Canegata, Rudy Krieger Complex, Isaac Boyne’s Complex and The Renholdt Jackson Sports Complex. On St. John there will be an outdoor adventure summer camp.
Applications can be downloaded from the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation's website in the forms section here. Enrollment will be decided on a first-come, first-serve basis.
