Free 'Trick-Or-Treat For Our Parks' Event Set For Oct. 24

Press release from the Town of Manchester:

Oct. 16, 2020

In an effort to gather community feedback in a COVID-19 safe way, The Manchester Department of Leisure, Family, and Recreation will be a hosting a FREE, “Trick-or-Treat for Our Parks” event on Saturday, October 24th from 9:00AM – 11:00AM open to all residents. This event will be held in four locations, Center Memorial Park, Charter Oak Park, Northwest Park, and a special location Squire Village (reserved for Squire Village residents only).

This Halloween themed event takes attendees on guided walks where they’ll learn more about the Town’s Parks and Facilities Master Plan and engage with kiosks and “play money” to give Town leadership feedback and perspectives on future investments.

“This is a call to all families, trick-or-treaters, and those that care about the future of our parks, community and recreation centers,” said Chris Silver, Director of Leisure, Family and Recreation.

Residents will be asked to give feedback on and invest “play money” into the following:

∙ Parks: Upgrades to playgrounds, pavilions, athletic fields and hard surface courts
∙ Trails and bikeways: Hiking and biking trails and greenways with completed connections
∙ Outdoor Swimming Pools: upgrades to existing pools and new spraypads
∙ Maintenance: Hire additional staff to support and maintain clean and safe parks, trails and facilities ∙ Recreation Centers: renovate existing facilities (Community Y Rec Center, Mahoney Rec Center) ∙ Community Center: build a new multi-service center to include Recreation, Senior and Human Services etc.

Upon arrival to any of the four locations, children will receive goodie bags and after completing the walk-through, a mystery activity bag and a free entry into a raffle to win one of the following:

- A Bike
- An Athletic Package
- A Creative Arts Package
- A Games Package
- A Manchester Gear Swag

The Trick-or-Treat for OurParks event will follow CDC and State COVID-19 protocol and encourage attendees to dress up in costume while remembering to wear their masks, keep a safe social distance, and stay home if feeling sick. “I’m so looking forward to having the community come together for a safe event where they can provide meaningful input on the future of our town’s parks and facilities,” said Kathy McGuire, Senior Recreation Supervisor.

For those who are unable to attend the event but want to provide input on the Parks & Facilities Master Plan, visit the Town’s community engagement platform, yourvoicemattersmanchesterct.com where you’ll find the latest information, updates, and online tools and engage in sharing feedback anywhere at any time. Rain Date: Oct 31, 2020

This press release was produced by the Town of Manchester. The views expressed here are the author's own.