Water Board Extends Teen Center Lease

Directors of the Padre Dam Municipal Water District today unanimously approved a one-year extension of a $1-per-month lease with the city of Santee for the Santee Teen Center at the Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve for fiscal year 2013-14.

Santee Teen Center participants thank Padre Dam board.

The board’s action solidifies the water agency’s role as a partner and sponsor of the city’s after-school teen program, which has operated from a 1,140-square-foot building at the park since May 2005. “It is our pleasure to be able to extend this contract so that we can continue the program at the Teen Center,” noted Board President Bill Pommering.

Faced with harsh budget cuts triggered by the state’s elimination of redevelopment funding, the city last year negotiated with the water district to reduce the Teen Center rent from $1,036 per month to $1 per month. The district obliged, and the city has been able to continue operating the Teen Center’s after-school program that benefits local students as well as working parents.

 “We appreciate the board’s renewal of the reduced-cost lease, which is a fine example of an inter-agency partnership that benefits the public,” said Santee Community Services Director Bill Maertz.

For more information about the city of Santee Teen Center at the Lakes visit the city of Santee website.

 

 

Go 2 Bat for Santee Teen Center

Help support the Santee Teen Center by playing in the 1^st Annual Go To Bat for Rec Softball Tournament scheduled for June 2 at Sportsplex USA.

Proceeds will help support the operation of the Santee Teen Center at the Lakes.

Teams must pre-register by May 28. Registration forms are available online here.

Two divisions, co-ed and men’s, will compete for bragging rights and prizes.

Door prizes will be awarded throughout the day. The tournament begins at 8 a.m.

Each team must have a minimum of 10 players who are at least 18 years of age. Co-ed teams must have a ratio of 7 males to 3 females. Games will be played three-pitch style and each team is guaranteed to play at least three games.

Registration fees are $275 per team. Players must also pay the $2.50 entry fee at Sportsplex, but admission includes a beverage token.

For more information contact Aliah Brozowski at (619) 258-4100 ext. 120 or at abrozowski@ci.santee.ca.us

Get Connected with Summer Programs at Rec Connect

With summer right around the corner, this is the time of year parents start looking at options for summer programs to keep the kids active and engaged. 

Santee Day Camp offers a summer of
fun, friends and adventure



The City of Santee Summer Recreation Activity and Camp Guide is coming soon. In addition to traditional Santee Summer Day Camp (grades 1-5) and X-Factor Camp (grades 6-9), new camps offered will include Soccer Shots, Jump Rope, Woodshop Wizards and Play-Well Sports Bots along with other sport, enrichment and performing art camps. New extended hours will also be offered for many of the specialty camps.

To learn more about recreation programs and camps offered through the City of Santee this summer visit one of two upcoming Rec Connect open houses. See table top displays from contracted specialty camps, watch fun program demonstrations, ask questions, meet the staff and register for recreation programs and camps. Receive $5 off each week of Santee Day Camp or X-Factor Day Camp that you register for at a Rec Connect (not valid with multi-family discount).

The free Rec Connect open houses will be held on Friday, May 18 and June 22 from 5:00 to 6:30 pm at Santee City Hall, 10601 Magnolia Avenue, Building 7.

Can’t make either date? Staff will be happy to answer any questions you have about camps or programs, or give you a tour of our camp operations. Feel free to give us a call at (619) 258-4100 ext. 222 or visit www.ci.santee.ca.us.

Padre Dam Water District Rescues Teen Center

Action Wednesday (Feb. 15) by the Padre Dam Municipal Water District has saved Santee’s Teen Center, which was threatened by budget cuts triggered by the city’s loss of redevelopment funding.

The water district’s board approved a rent reduction for the teen center building from $1,036 per month to $1 per month, which will result in annual savings to the city of more than $12,400.

The rent reduction means local youths like Tyler Heskett, 12, and Kayla Slinkard, 11, can continue to use the center for after-school activities, including finishing their homework.

The city, which operates after-school and leadership programs for adolescents and teens, has leased the building at Santee Lakes from the water district since 2006.

The teen center was placed on the chopping block after the state on Feb. 1 took control of tax revenue previously used for municipal redevelopment programs, forcing Santee to scramble to make up for the loss of $1.2 million.

"We’re grateful to Padre Dam Water District for stepping up to preserve the site of a valuable program that nurtures young people and gives them a place to socialize in a supervised setting," said Bill Maertz, Santee’s director of community services.

The new lease is effective March 1 and runs through June 30, 2013.

The district’s CEO and General Manager, Allen Carlisle, said his board of directors "recognizes the benefits of recreational activities for the youth of Santee."

Carlisle added: "They also appreciate and seek to foster the positive working relationship between Padre Dam Municipal Water District and the city of Santee for the benefit of our residents.  It's good government when agencies work together and find solutions like this one."

Annual membership at the Teen Center is $20 per year for youth from grades 6 through 12 who are Santee residents; the fee for non-residents is $30 annually. After-school transportation is provided for grades 6-8 for $10 per week. Contact Teen Services (619) 258-4100 ext 222 for more information.

Santee Host Workshop for Teen Center Staffers

The city of Santee’s Teen Center recently hosted a regional training workshop attended by 30 part-time youth workers from Santee, Lakeside and Spring Valley programs.  These teen and recreation clubs serve youth who range from 6^th grade to seniors in high school.

The multi-agency training focused on dealing with behavioral challenges, communicating with teens, team building and suicide prevention.

“This approach created a cost-effective way to ensure that the front line staff who make a daily impact on the lives of the youth in our communities are well trained and prepared to handle the variety of situations that arise,” said workshop organizer and Santee recreation program supervisor Aliah Brozowski.

The Santee Teen Center, located at Padre Dam’s Santee Lakes, offers a daily after school program in addition to summer day camp and leadership training for teens. For more information on the programs and schedules offered visit Teen Services.

July is Park and Recreation Month

There’s no more appropriate time to spotlight how parks improve our quality of life than during July, which is National Park & Recreation Month.

In Santee, the city operates five neighborhood parks, two mini parks, and a community park where folks can get outside to have a picnic, take a walk, swim, play ball or toss a Frisbee. But that’s just the tip of the ice cream cone.

The city also sponsors a variety of recreation programs, including a Seniors’ Club, a summer camp for kids and numerous instructional classes, such as jewelry making, karate or dancing.

Santee offers the best deal on live summer concerts (they’re free), held on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at Town Center Community Park through August 18. 

If your kids are acting bored since the school year ended, there’s still time to sign them up for a week or longer of day camp. Kids who are into BMX, scooters or skateboards can have fun at the skate and BMX facility at Woodglen Vista Park. Summer hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The city also operates a Teen Center at Santee Lakes that during the summer is open from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. A monthly Friday Night Hot Spot event, for students entering grades 6 through 9, features games, music and dancing.

The Seniors’ Club meets each Wednesday with additional senior outings scheduled once to twice a month at various spots throughout the county. The next trip scheduled for July 12 is a sojourn to the city of Coronado via the passenger ferry across San Diego Bay.

Visit the the Santee Recreation Services Division to see the recreation programs being offered.  Check out the Santee city parks page for information on parks.

Celebrate July as National Park and Recreation month by visiting one of your local parks and see why parks make life better.