Chatham Recreation Director Shari Franks, left, and Lisa Heintz from the Rip Van Winkle Tobacco- Free Coalition hold new signs that will be posted in Crellin Park.
"Town parks go smoke free; signs available"
Visitors to Crellin Community Park in Chatham will find new no smoking signs posted at the entrance, the recreation fields, pavilion and on the beach. Shari Franks, Chatham recreation director, said the signs are a colorful way to reinforce the no smoking policy at the park.
“The park is a wonderful resource to town residents and we want people to have the healthiest possible experience here. Cigarette smoke and cigarette litter are not part of a healthy environment.”
Two recreation areas in the town of Austerlitz are also getting new signs following recent action by the town board. “We are proud to do what we can to ensure the health of children and other users of our parks,” said Supervisor George Jahn after the Board decision. Town parks in Germantown, Livingston and Stockport are also receiving new signs.
According to Karen dePeyster, director of the Rip Van Winkle Tobacco-Free Coalition, the trend toward clean outdoor air is gaining momentum. “Since 2003, when New York banned smoking in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars, public tolerance for involuntarily being subjected to someone else’s cigarette smoke has declined sharply, both indoors and outside,” she said. “Smoke free has become the new normal. That’s a great message for kids to be getting, too.”
Eliminating cigarette litter is another benefit of clean outdoor air policies. Cigarettes are the single largest source of litter in the nation. The butts contain toxic chemicals that can be harmful to small children, pets, birds and other wildlife, and the filters are not biodegradable. “Tobacco free is not just healthy for people, it’s also healthy for the planet,” said dePeyster.
The Rip Van Winkle Tobacco-Free Coalition provides free no smoking signs as a service to local governments, organizations and businesses. There are several styles to choose from or custom designs can be made on request. Sample signs can be viewed on the Coalition Web site at www.rvwtobaccofree. org. To order signs, call 518-822-0999 or e-mail info@rvwtobaccofree.org. The Tobacco-Free Coalition is a program of the Healthcare Consortium.
(See the Register-Star article here.)
Rentals
The pavilions at Crellin Park are available for rent for family
parties and other functions by calling the Town of Chatham
Recreation Department at (518) 392-0337 or emailing recdirector1231@fairpoint.net.
  
Pavilion & Trout Stream
  
Soccer field
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Summer Youth Program
July 6, 2010
The Town of Chatham Summer Program for Youth begins on Tuesday, July 6 and will continue Monday through Friday for six weeks until August 13th. Certified lifeguards will teach American Red Cross Swim lessons from 10 am to 11 am and from 11 am to 12 noon, Monday through Friday. Children of all ages are encouraged to sign up, as six levels of swim instruction
will be offered. Two 3-week sessions will be offered at $30 per session per child with a $10 discount for additional siblings. Following each 3-week session, participants will be given either a certificate of completion or an ARC certification card that graduates the participant to the next swim level.
The Afternoon Enrichment program will begin at 12:30 and end at 3 pm Monday through Friday. Children will be split into three age levels: 4 to 5 yrs, 6 to 8 yrs, and 9 and up.
Each group will be supervised by trained camp counselors in various activities at the Park. The fee for the afternoon program is $50 per child for residents who reside in the Town of Chatham and Village of Chatham ($30 for additional siblings) and $80 for nonresidents ($50 for
additional siblings) for the entire six weeks. Arts and crafts, recreational games and lots of other fun activities will be offered, including programs at the Community Garden in the Children’s Garden! More information will be available in the coming weeks. The Youth Tennis Program sponsored by the Columbia County Youth Bureau will take place again thanks to a grant received from the United State Tennis Association (USTA). One hour tennis lessons will take place three times per week for three weeks. Lessons will take place
at 9 AM, 10 AM and 11 AM. Students will be divided into groups based on age and ability. The fee for this program is $20 per child and any child age 5 to 16 is welcome to participate. The lessons will be taught by local high school and college tennis players and will take place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. ProKick Soccer Camp will take place from August 2 thru 6, 2010 from 9am to 12:30
pm at Crellin Community Park. The camp is for male and female players age 5 to 15 and is
sponsored by The Chatham Soccer Club/Morris Association and the Town of Chatham. Cost of
the camp is $125.00. Pro-Kick Soccer Camp, which enters its 19th year in 2010 as one the Capital
District’s highest quality soccer camps, provides skill instructions and tactical training for youth
ages 5 to 15. Camp sessions will be directed by Jeff Guinn, Head Men's Soccer Coach Union
College and Director of Coaching Bethlehem Soccer Club and USSF "A" Licensed coach. The
emphasis of the camp is on technique in a safe, fun, energetic atmosphere. Various small sided
games are the cornerstone of the program. The camp curriculum is developed by director Jeff Guinn, who has worked extensively
with young players. Each group will have a challenging lesson plan appropriate to the age and
skill level of players. Five and Six year old campers have separate age appropriate curriculum within each day camp.
*8:30 - 9:00 Arrival of Campers
*9:00 - 9:45 Technical Warm up, dribbling games
*9:45 - 10:30 Micro Soccer Tournaments
*10:30 - 10:45 Break
*10:45 - 11:00 Clinic - Skills topic of the Day
*11:00 - 11:45 Technical Session
*11:45 - 12:00 Break
*12:00 - 12:30 Small Sided Games-6v6-8v8
Please visit www.prokicksoccer.com for more information on the camp. Camp applications can also be downloaded from this site. Questions about the soccer camp can be directed to Shari Franks Recreation Director for the Town of Chatham at 518-392-0337,
recdirector1231@fairpoint.net or Michele Kraham Director of the Morris at 518-392-4622,
Morrism@fairpoint.net
Registration for all activities of the summer program will be held in mid-June (exact date and time to be announced soon) at Crellin Park at the pavilion by the pond. Parents MUST bring proof of immunization records or a letter stating reason for lack of immunization.
Registrations WILL not be accepted if paperwork is incomplete. Registration is first come
first served so please make sure to have ALL necessary paperwork at the time of registration.
Crellin Park beach opens to the public for the weekend on June 26 & 27, is closed from June 28 through June 30th for staff training, then opens every day beginning July 1st from noon to 6 pm daily.
The pavilions at Crellin Park are available for rent for family parties and other functions by calling the Town of Chatham Recreation Department at 392-0337 or email at
recdirector1231@fairpoint.net
Recreation Links
Chatham Soccer Club
www.chathamsoccerclub.com
Chatham
COMMUNITY GARDENS
Kids and gardening were made for each other!
http://www.realfoodnetwork.org/community-garden.html
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Who We Are
Crellin Community Park was established
in the early 1970’s by dedicated members of the Chatham
community who wanted to create a space for youth and individuals
to engage in recreational activities. The park has grown over
the past 30 years and now includes two pavilions with snack bars
and restrooms, a swimming pond and summer swim and recreational
program, two tennis courts, a basketball court, playgrounds, a
fitness/hiking trail, three soccer playing fields, a softball
field, a community garden and a trout stream, AND we have
plans to make even greater changes for the future.
Thanks to a
generous land donation from the Sonoco Crellin Corporation
located directly across from Crellin
Park, the Town of Chatham now owns nearly 50 acres of land and
is currently applying for funding to assist in making the Town’s
Park Master Plan for park improvements a reality.
 Funding
Park funding in the past has come from a variety of
sources: private donations, public funds from state and local
government, local organizations, such as the Chatham Lions Club,
grants, and user fees. Recently, the Crellin Park Foundation, a
not-for-profit 501c3 organization, was established to provide
funding directly to Crellin Park for the park renovation project
and to help provide additional funding for youth and family
programs.
To make a
donation to the Crellin Park Foundation or to find out more
information about our Park Improvement Project please contact
our office.
 Programs
The Town of Chatham Summer Program
operates for six weeks Monday through Friday in July and
August. Certified lifeguards teach American Red Cross Swim
lessons from 10 am to 11 am and from 11 am to 12 noon, Monday
through Friday. Children of all ages are encouraged to sign up,
as six levels of swim instruction are offered. Following each
3-week session, participants will be given either a certificate
of completion or an ARC certification card that graduates the
participant to the next swim level. Fees for the summer program
are yet to be determined for the 2008 season. Please check back
The
Afternoon Enrichment program which follows swim lessons begins
at 12:30 and ends at 3 PM Monday through Friday. Children are
split into three age levels: 4 to 5 yrs, 6 to 8 yrs, and 9 and
up. Each group is supervised by trained camp counselors in
various activities at the park. Fees are nominal to help offset
costs of supplies for the programs. Arts and crafts,
recreational games, sports, tennis lessons and LOTS of other fun
activities will be offered, including programs at the Children’s
Plot in the Chatham Community Garden.
Registration for the summer program is held in person in June at
Crellin Park at the pavilion by the pond (exact dates and times
to be announced). Parents must bring proof of immunization
records.
The Crellin
Park beach opens to the public for the weekend on the third
weekend in June from noon to 6 PM daily. Swimming is prohibited
anytime a lifeguard is NOT on duty but the park itself remains
open year round from dawn till dusk. 
Park Rental
The two pavillions at Crellin Park are available to rent for
family parties, weddings, and other functions. For booking and
fees contact the Town of Chatham Recreation Department at
(518) 392-0337 or recdirector1231@fairpoint.net.
Summer 2007 Recreation
Program Pictures (Click on an image for a larger view)
       
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