Orange County NC Website
recreation moved the event outside and ran the event for nine hours. You were <br /> required to preregister for the event and all items that you needed for the carnival <br /> games (bingo cards, bingo pieces) were delivered to participants home. Participants <br /> were assigned a time slot for 1 hour fifteen minutes at forty participants per time slot. <br /> Masks were required at all times, temperature checks, proper social distancing <br /> practiced, sanitizing stations set up. Thirty minute break between each session to <br /> sanitize all equipment by a separate crew. Spooktacular had 240 participants, with <br /> participants registered as a household and we grouped with only their household. <br /> Sousa stated that he felt the event was run as safely as they possibly could while <br /> providing an event for the community. Contact tracing was put into place and there <br /> was no positive cases from the event. <br /> Smart start programs (soccer and basketball) are being held with a one instructor per <br /> five children ratio. Temperature checks on site, contact tracing by staff weekly. Most <br /> participants are asking for virtual programming to continue. <br /> Tim Tippen commended Sousa on staff's work and creativity in delivering <br /> programming virtually. Tippen also asked about registration fee and increased cost <br /> with offering virtual. Sousa stated virtual classes cost about 25% of what it cost to <br /> run an in person class. Virtual classes run between $10-15 for a one hour per week <br /> six week class. Andrew Lindstrom and Mike Zelek also commended Sousa on a job <br /> well done. <br /> Chair Rhodes asked about potential to grow virtual programming. Sousa stated <br /> programming starts at 9 am with a pre-school program and end about 8 pm each <br /> week night. The Health Department has conducted 6 online programs using the <br /> Recreation studio. Sousa stated with that schedule there is not much room to add <br /> programming. Rhodes asked about internet access for programming and if they had <br /> had concerns about that in rural parts of the county. Sousa stated they had one <br /> participant who had limited bandwidth but wanted their child to participate, so she <br /> was offered a recorded version of the program (all classes/programs are recorded) <br /> that could be played back at any time. The cost was the same as doing the live <br /> program but allowed the parent to playback content when bandwidth was not an <br /> issue for their household. Rhodes asked about the potential to reuse the recorded <br /> programming, freeing up time to create new programming. Sousa stated that staff <br /> has discussed how they would proceed in regards to virtual classes although no <br /> decision has been made. Staff has gotten lots of positive feedback asking that <br /> virtual programming remain as a choice in the future. Stancil stated that he sees <br /> virtual programming as a part of recreation programming going forward. <br /> Xilong Zhao asked if Recreation does any collaboration with the Arts Commission. <br /> Sousa stated that as of now they have only worked with the Library, Department on <br /> Aging and the Health Department. Zhao would like to see local artist's collaboration <br /> creating some working opportunities. Zhao also asked about weekend <br /> programming. Sousa stated that we do not offer Sunday programs but Saturday <br /> programming runs from around 9 am -4 pm. <br /> Stancil stated that Recreation staff has done a remarkable job embracing this idea of <br /> finding new ways to do things and that he is very proud of what has been <br /> accomplished. <br />