Garden City Community Park's brand new platform courts have opened for the season. This state of the art facility is open for use to any resident of the Village of Garden City every day during the hours of 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. There is a fee of $28 per court hour for the use of the courts. As a result of the increasing interest in this sport, the Recreation Department is offering a new way to pay for the use of these courts - a resident membership!

A resident membership covers the season, which began Oct. 15 and runs to April 30, 2009. The membership is open to any individual who is a resident of the Inc. Village of Garden City. A person taking a membership would be covered for their share of the court cost during the time they play. It does not cover any programs or special events that the Recreation Department itself chooses to run. Recreation Department events would require an additional fee if applicable. The fee for membership will be $ 225.

Of course, if a resident chooses to not purchase a membership, he/she can still use the courts at regular court rate. To register for membership, please visit the Recreation Offices at 108 Rockaway Avenue.

The Recreation Adult Programs in the Field House began Tuesday, Oct. 14, according to the following schedule:

Mondays

Mens' Open Basketbal 7:30-10 p.m.

Mens' Over 40 Basketball 7:30-10 p.m.

Tuesdays

Mens' Over 30 Basketball 7:30 -10 p.m.

Wednesdays=

Mens' Open Basketball 7:30-10 p.m.

Mens' Over 40 Basketball 7:30-10 p.m.

Thursdays

Adult Volleyball 7:30 - 10 p.m.

Adult Soccer 8:30 - 10 p.m.

These programs are open to residents of the Inc. Village of Garden City who have graduated high school. All programs listed are free of charge and strictly "pick up." A picture ID is required to sign in to any program. For further information, please contact the Recreation Office at 465-4075.

There are openings available in the Garden City Recreation Dept.'s Women's Intramural Tennis League on Wednesdays. It is a 3.0 Singles League that plays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. For information on joining call Steve Espey at Community Park at 483-2525. The Recreation Department will be offering its Wednesday Night Women's Round Robin, just for fun, platform program beginning late October. As of now, details such as times and fees are being determined. Please watch this column for more details and information on how to register. This program is open to village residents only.

The Recreation Department's Adult Dance classes began the week of Oct. 14 according to the following schedule;

Beginner Adult Ballet Tuesdays at 9:15 a.m. 20 weeks at $160

Adult Jazz Saturdays at 11 a.m.18 weeks at $144

Exercise and Stretch Thursdays at 9:15 a.m. 20 weeks at $160

Each class lasts one hour. All classes will be taught by Felicia Lovaglio, director of our Dance Conservatory. For more information or to register, visit the Recreation offices at 108 Rockaway Avenue.

This new one-hour program will be taught by Dance Conservatory Director Felicia Lovaglio and will incorporate music with aerobic activity with resistance training using tubes provide by the Recreation Department. This class, which began Oct. 16, is being held on Thursday mornings and runs for 20 weeks at a cost of $160. To register, please visit the Recreation Office at 108 Rockaway Ave. Sneakers and a yoga mat are required for this program. The Recreation Department is offering a clinic in European "Team" Handball on Tuesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the St. Paul's Field House. This free program will be open to any resident in Grades 6-12. Jesse Sorensen, former national player will be conducting these clinics, which will continue until Nov. 25. Come down to the Field House to learn more about this exciting sport. Our new "Mommy and Me" yoga program is open to children ages 3 to 5 years old who live in the Inc. Village of Garden City, and their parent/caregiver. This program began Sept. 17 at 9:15 a.m. at St. Paul's Cluett Hall. Connie McKnight, our certified yoga instructor, has designed the classes to stimulate the child and the adult as well. Each class is 55 minutes long. Children must be 3 by the start of the class in order to attend. The 12-week session will cost $60 and will run into December. For further information or to register for this program, visit the Recreation's Administrative Offices at 108 Rockaway Avenue.

Our fall session of yoga began Sept. 15. Connie McKnight, certified yoga instructor, has designed classes with all ages in mind. Each class is 55 minutes long. All classes are held in Cluett Hall at St. Paul's. Any resident of the Incorporated Village of Garden City is invited to join these relaxing classes.

The course schedule is as follows:

Mondays

All-Level Yoga - 13 classes for $65; 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday

All-Level Yoga - 13 classes for $65; 10:30 a.m.

Thursdays

All-Level Yoga - 12 classes for $60; 11:30 a.m.

To register for any of these classes, please visit the Recreation Department's Administrative Offices at 108 Rockaway Avenue.