Black Mountain summer camps are tons of fun
Like most kids her age, fourth-grader Addy Rottenberg is pumped to finish school and start summer break. She is also eager for the sport and recreation camps she will attend, coordinated by the Black Mountain Recreation and Parks Department.
“They are a blast. You get to be with friends and go cool places on field trips and learn lots of new things,” she said. Addy will attend several weeks of Summer Adventures day camp, along with several sport camps. All camps and programs are open to Valley youth.
Because so many kids have attended summer programs and because planners are expecting even more, programming has been expanded this summer to include extra camp weeks and other changes. Parents now have options of a half or full day for some weeks. “In some cases, younger and older kids will be separated to allow more personalized instruction,” said Collin Bugniazet, program director. Some camps are filling quickly, he said.
“We hope to better maximize use of the town’s recreation facilities with added programming this summer,” he said. “We want to respond to past feedback, and our regular participants are asking for more camps and opportunities.”
Though the greater programming emphasis is on children, opportunities are also available for adults. One new activity Bugniazet hopes will draw interest is an adult coed kickball league.
The kickball league, modeled after leagues in Asheville, will take place Monday nights at Craigmont Park at the far end of Lake Tomahawk, moving to Veterans Park if more space is needed. Bugniazet hopes the summer kickball league will be as popular as the winter adult dodgeball league, where some players traveled from Hendersonville and Weaverville to play here. Sign up is now in progress for adult kickball, dodgeball and softball. Weekly adult pickleball also takes place indoors at Carver Center on Thursday mornings.
The town’s summer camps are a great option for parent Danielle Rottenberg because of their convenience, affordable cost and smaller group sizes. She knows many of the other kids participating, and she is friends with some of the camp instructors.
“I appreciate that I can easily drop in and check on my kids or speak with an instructor if needed,” she said.
Children’s summer camps offered
- Summer Adventures: June 13-Aug 5; elementary; full day; weekly sessions
- Basketball Camp: June 13-17; elementary; half or full day
- Soccer Camp: June 27-July 1 and July 11-15; elementary; half or full day
- Tennis Camp: July 25-29; elementary; half or full day
- Yoga Camp: Aug 1-5 or 8-12; elementary; half day
- Black Mountain Sting Rays Swim team; begins May 23
For more about or register your child in summer sport and recreation opportunities, visit blackmountainrec.com or the Carver Center, 101 Carver Ave.; 669-2052.