EJ Hayes, Dunkirk's deputy planning and development director, said the city is starting a new summer recreation program for children at Point Gratiot.

A city of Dunkirk official described a new summer recreation program for children recently.

EJ Hayes, deputy planning and development director, discussed the program at a Common Council meeting. Councilwomen Natalie Luczkowiak and Nancy Nichols questioned him about it.

The recreation program is intended to replace a summer camp, Camp Gross, that was cut from the 2025 budget to save money.

“The program we’re looking to do is in collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County. Right up front, this is not something the city is putting on,” Hayes said.

“This is the Boys and Girls Club who is running this program. They’ll be hiring all the staff… We’re working collaboratively with them to actually have this program take place at (Point Gratiot),” he added.

Hayes said the city made a similar arrangement during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Camp Gross was unavailable.

The recreational program at the Point will run July 7-Aug. 15. It will take place Mondays through Fridays at the firemen’s grounds. Signups are through the Boys and Girls Club. Hayes said Recreation Director Alexis Tofil will “navigate” people who look to sign up through the city, to the club’s material.

Hayes said the program “kind of mirrors the Camp Gross schedule. We were looking for options and opportunities for our families in the city to have something like this in the summer, since we’re not able to do Camp Gross.”

Children must get signed up for the entire program; there are no signups by the week. Hayes said it will cost $400 for one kid, $750 for two children, and $1,050 for three.

“When you look at it, that seems like a big sticker shock, but when you actually break it down, it’s about $67 a week for one child, $63 a week for two and 58 for three,” Hayes said.

He said the only costs to the city for the program would be for use of restrooms at Point Gratiot.

Nichols said she had heard “quite upset” feedback from parents that children could not attend on a week-to-week basis.

“I hate to turn kids away…after getting hit with that 84% tax increase, parents are just gonna have a hard time just putting something together to send one or two kids to (the recreation program). That was the concern I was getting, it was just very costly,” Nichols said.

Hayes said the Boys and Girls Club is responsible for the signup policy.