The Garden City Recreation Department is pleased to announce that Rich Anderson and the Recreation Staff will conduct the very popular gym program for children in grades 3-5.

This program will consist of organized games and activities in a supervised setting. This program will run from 3:30 to 6 p.m. in St. Paul's Field House beginning Dec. 1 according to the following schedule:

Boys in Grades 3-5 Mondays from 3:30 to 6 p.m.

Girls in Grades 3-5 Fridays from 3:30 to 6 p.m.

This program is free and no pre-registration is necessary. It will be necessary to fill out a registration form the first day of the program. Sneakers must be worn for any activity in the field house.

Note-Once the children are in our facility, they will not be allowed to leave unless accompanied by an adult. Please come into the building to pick up your child and please be prompt.

For further information, please contact the Recreation Office at 465-4075.

The Garden City Recreation Department is pleased to announce that this winter it will sponsor an Open Gym program for basketball and volleyball for Middle and High School-age students. This program will be conducted weekday afternoons after school in the St. Paul's Field House.

The Winter Open Gym Program will provide the students an opportunity to participate in after school activities in a supervised setting.

This program will begin on Wednesday, Dec. 3 and will be open every Wednesday and Thursday from 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m.

Please note: This is a time set aside for middle and high school students to enjoy our facility while having fun with their friends. No organized practices may take place at this time. Since the Recreation Department will provide supervision, no adults will be allowed in this field house at this time.

For further information call 465-4075.

The Garden City Recreation Department is pleased to announce that this winter, Rich Anderson and the Recreation Staff will conduct a gym program for children in kindergarten through Grade 2.

This program will consist of organized games and activities in a supervised setting. This program will run on Tuesdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in St. Paul's Field House beginning Dec. 9 and ending Feb. 10. The program is free and no registration is necessary. For further information, please contact the Recreation Office at 465-4075.

Sneakers must be worn for any activity in the field house. Please Note-Once the children are in our facility, they will not be allowed to leave unless accompanied by an adult. Please come into the building to pick up your child.

It's time to send letters to Santa and the Recreation Department will speed up the process! A special "Santa's Mailbox" will be set up at the Recreation Department's Administrative Offices (108 Rockaway Avenue) beginning Dec. 3. Children can drop their letters in the mailbox and Santa will send them a personalized reply. Santa's mailbox will be available through Dec. 19.

In addition to sending their letters to Santa, kids can take a chance at guessing the number of candy pieces in the jar next to Santa's Mailbox and the child whose guess is closest to the actual number will win the jar, candy and all! As with Santa's mailbox, the candy contest will be available through Dec. 19.

A certain someone will be taking time out from his busy schedule to visit the Recreation Office at 108 Rockaway Avenue this holiday season! Santa will be available for pictures with the children on the following remaining dates and times - Dec. 11, 17, 18 from 2:30 to 4:15 p.m.; Dec. 12 and 19 from noon to 4:15 p.m.

The suggested family donation for visiting Santa is a small toy that will be given to "Toys for Tots" but everyone is invited and no pre-registration is necessary. So when you are dropping your letter off to Santa, be sure to stop in and see him too!

The Recreation Department's Men's Saturday morning basketball program will begin Saturday, Dec. 6 in the Middle School's South Gym. This free program is for any resident of the Inc. Village of Garden City. Games are strictly pickup. The gym will be available from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

It may seem early, but the Recreation Department has set the following dates for interviews for positions at the Garden City Pool and Community Park for the 2009 season. Any person who is currently in 11th grade or older is eligible to be interviewed. The dates for interviews are as follows:

Monday, Dec. 29, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 31, 2009 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Anyone who is interested in scheduling an interview can call the Recreation Office at 465-4075 all interviews will be conducted at the Recreation Department Office located at 108 Rockaway Avenue.

There are still openings available in the 7 p.m. session of our intramural platform program, which is held Wednesday evenings. This program is geared to beginners and is a learn and play program. The cost of the program is $110. Please visit the Recreation Offices at 108 Rockaway Avenue to register. It is not too early to register for the second session of children's tennis lessons, which will begin in January at the Community Park Tennis Facility. Fun classes are offered for children ages 4-18 and are rapidly filling so do not wait or you will be closed out of your favorite day. To see what times and days are being offered and to register, please visit the Recreation Offices at 108 Rockaway Avenue.

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. Members 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 run according to the following schedule:

Mondays Mens' Open Basketball 7:30 to 10 p.m.

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

Tuesdays Mens' Over 30 Basketball 7:30 to 10 p.m.

Wednesdays Mens' Open Basketball 7:30 to 10 p.m.

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

Thursdays Adult Volleyball 7:30 to 10 p.m.

Adult Soccer 8:30 to 10 p.m.

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

This new one-hour program is taught by Dance Conservatory Director Felicia Lovaglio and incorporates music with aerobic activity with resistance training using tubes provided by the Recreation Department. This class 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.