Commentary by Stephanie Baumann
The holidays are often a time to reflect and look back on the happenings and accomplishments of the past year. Westfield Parks and Recreation is no exception, and what a year 2013 has been! One of the biggest changes in our department this year has been the addition of recreational programming. Though there have been the struggles that go along with any new venture, we have been so excited about offering this to the community. We hope you have had a chance to visit our Programming Center on Main Street in downtown Westfield and browse through one of the first three editions of the Grand Guide delivered to your mailbox.
It has been a fun year learning what types of the programs the community is looking for, and we are always looking for feedback and input. We strive to offer a wide variety of options for people of all ages and areas of interest. Some of the great kids classes we have offered in our first two seasons include a variety of fitness classes, dance classes with Adagio Dance Academy, as well as enrichment options such as Lego Robotics, science, foreign languages, chess, and arts and crafts classes such as painting and jewelry making. The most popular adult programs so far have been our fitness and photography classes, as well as our free gardening workshops offered through Hamilton County Master Gardeners over the summer. We have several exciting new options for our January to April 2014 season including kids pottery classes, Jazzercise, Prom Boot Camp, Mini Marathon Training, knitting, iPhoneography, taekwondo with Midwest Taekwondo Academy, and even a Wine & Canvas event.
Another exciting new opportunity to check out this season is our first ever “Try Before You Buy” week which includes many of our fitness classes for all ages during the January session. This is a great way to sample one class or several before having to commit. Simply register for an activity, and the first class is completely free. You only pay if you want to complete the rest of the session. “Try Before You Buy” week is a great way to kick off the new year, work toward resolutions and get some experience with a new fitness program that you have been wanting to try.
I have had such a great time this year working toward bringing recreational opportunities to the Westfield community, and I cannot wait to see what 2014 brings.
Stephanie Baumann is recreation program coordinator for Westfield Parks and Recreation. She can be reached at [email protected].