BREC Update: Park Statuses and Emergency Camps

Information from BREC updated on Tuesday, August 23
    Since students in East Baton Rouge Parish and Central Schools will not be able to go back to school until September at the earliest, BREC is expanding the number of camps it is offering as facilities are repaired and staff is able to come back to work. BREC has also reached out to the volunteer group City Year to help staff camps and reached agreement with the Boys and Girls Club that allows them to hold camps at two BREC facilities.
    BREC emergency camps served 196 children on Tuesday. On Wednesday,  one additional BREC operated camp opened with another scheduled to open on Monday. Camp locations are as follows:   Cedar Ridge Park, 13300 Cedar Ridge Drive, 70817 (Onsite registration); Independence Community Park, 7500 Independence Blvd., 70809 (Online & onsite registration); Highland Road Community Park, 14024 Highland Road, 70810 (Online & onsite registration); Jackson Community Park, 12250 Sullivan Road, 70818 (Online & onsite registration); Kathy Drive Park, 1801 Kathy Drive, 70816 (Online & onsite registration); Mills Avenue Park, 424 Woodpecker Street, 70807 (Onsite registration); T.D. Bickham Park, 6850 Petit Road, 70714; and Zachary Community Park, 20055 Old Scenic Highway, 70791 (Online & onsite registration).
    Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center was able to reopen its doors Tuesday after receiving a significant amount of flooding. Camp will be held the Swamp's Education Building starting Monday, August 29 – September 2. The cost will be $14 per day or $70 for the week.  
    All BREC camps are open from 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and parents can now register for them online at webtrac.brec.org — with the exception of the Cedar Ridge and Mills Avenue Park locations. After going to the Webtrac page, click on "Activities" which can be found on the left side for the camp registration page. Registration is also available in person at all BREC emergency camp sites. The cost of each recreation camp is $14 a day or $50 per week. However, if cost is a concern, please do not let that deter you from bringing your children. BREC will work with each family to ensure that as many children as possible have a safe, fun place to spend their day. Emergency camps are serving children from 4-12 years old.  
    In order to increase the number of camps offered in our area, BREC is also partnering with the Boys and Girls Club. They will offer camps starting tomorrow, August 24 – September 2 at BREC's Alaska Street Park, 3014 Alaska Street, 70802 and Belfair Teen Center, 4390 Fairfields Avenue, 70802. The Boys and Girls Club camps will serve children 6-12 years old from 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Additional details can be found on the Boys and Girls Club website at www.brclubs.org.
    BREC on the Geaux and a mobile recreation trailer from Alexandria continued working together today to provide healthy, fun activity to children housed in shelters in the Baton Rouge area. Today the mobile recreation teams served approximately 100 children. If you are interested in volunteering for this activity, email us at [email protected].  
    BREC staff was heavily impacted by the storm as well with approximately 200 people suffering damage. Despite working with a skeleton crew, the following sites have been inspected and approved for use by the public:
    Recreation Centers and Special Use Facilities: Alaska Street Park and Recreation Center; Alsen Recreational Center; Anna T. Jordan Community Park (Park only); Antioch (Park only); Baringer Road Park; Baton Rouge Zoo; Cedar Ridge Avenue Park; City-Brooks Community Park; Baton Rouge Gallery and Tennis Center; Cohn Arboretum; Drusilla Lane Park; Expressway Park and Recreation Center; Farr Park Equestrian Center; Flanacher Road Park; Forest Community Park; Greenwood Community Park (Splash pad is not operational/Boathouse and docks damaged); Highland Road Community Park, Tennis Center and Observatory; Hooper Road Park; Howell Place Gym at Scotlandville Parkway; Independence Community Park and Tennis Center; Jackson Community Park (Splash pad is not operational); Kathy Drive Park; Longfellow Park; Magnolia Mound Plantation; Memorial Sports Complex; Milton J. Womack Park; North Sherwood Forest Community Park; North Street Park; Palomino Park; Perkins Road Community Park; Reames Road Park; Red Oaks Park; Saia Park; T. D. Bickham, Jr. Park; Zachary Community Park
    Golf: Beaver Creek; Clark; Dumas Golf Course (Front nine with back nine opening on Friday); Historic City Park; Webb Memorial Park and Golf Course
    Tennis: City; Independence; Forest; Highland
    All other parks will be evaluated, repaired if necessary and cleaned for public use, so be cautious if you visit them. BREC staff stresses that following locations are NOT safe to visit at this time: Antioch Recreation Center; Baker Recreation Center; Church Street Recreation Center; Flannery Park and Recreation Center; Forest Recreation Center; Frenchtown Conservation Area; Hamilton Park and Recreation Center; Howell Community Park; Kerr Warren Park; Maplewood Park and Recreation Center; Mountain Bike Trails at Comite and Hooper Road Parks; Sports Academy
    For the latest information about BREC's operating hours, events and programs, visit brec.org and follow us at facebook.com/brecparks, twitter.com/brecparks.