Philly Parks & Rec introduces summer camp lotto at five in-demand locations, causing headaches for some parents
The change was made in an effort to make the enrollment process more equitable.
At some Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Centers, a grim tradition has developed over the years amid the winter scramble to secure some sort of summer programming for kids: Parents wait in line hours before enrollment even begins to snag a first-come, first-served camp spot.
This year, the city hopes to remedy that with the introduction of a lottery system at a handful of the most in-demand camps.
“We’re just learning from past years, trying to be flexible and give parents more time to come in,” said Rob Jackson, the department’s deputy commissioner of programs.
Yet some parents bemoaned what they described as a poorly communicated change, hearing about it a week before enrollment began, with no explanation as to why, becoming just one more logistical quirk to navigate in the summer camp enrollment chaos.
That’s because, like daycare, snagging a spot in any daylong summer program can feel like building a plane midflight. Applying to multiple summer camps is a must, setting aside a pool of money for application fees is necessary, and, oh, you’ll likely have to make a quick decision on whether to accept a spot despite not having heard back from everyone.
Even applying to the Parks and Recreation-run summer camps, one of the most affordable in the city for kids ages 6 to 12, has its quirks. Because weekly rates start at $90, compared to the hundreds some other camps charge, spots in the city-run programs are some of the most coveted in the city.
Some rec centers are so popular that parents have resorted to waiting in line for hours on enrollment day to secure a spot. It’s a system that the city has heard feels unfair to families that can’t afford to take a morning off from work to do that.
In an attempt to make the registration process more equitable, the city rolled out a lottery system this week for potential first-time campers at some of the most tough-to-get-in sites: Fishtown, Northern Liberties, Shissler, Hancock, and Towey Recreation Centers. These sites are in the Fishtown, Northern Liberties, and South Kensington sections of the city.
Jackson said the change was inspired by staff, who described coming into work with long lines of parents already formed. If a parent couldn’t make it on that day, it was one less summer camp option. And because younger siblings were given priority in an attempt to keep siblings together, one family could take up multiple camp spots in one go. With the lottery system, younger siblings have the same odds as other new registrants. Jackson recognized that might mean multiple camp drop-offs for some families, but he said the change was to “accommodate as many families in the community as possible.”
The lottery system has allowed sites like Hancock and Shissler to extend registration for new campers over the course of four days, giving all kids the same chance of snagging whatever few spots are available within the program as children age out or choose to go elsewhere.
One Fishtown parent this week, who asked to remain anonymous so as not to hamper their kid’s chances of snagging a spot, described the change as poorly communicated. They were left deflated as they submitted applications at various locations, paying $50 per application, unsure of what the odds were for getting into any of these camps.
Asked if the city has ever considered moving the applications online, Jackson said the city hasn’t gotten to that point. So for now, the in-person site-by-site registration is the best the department can do for the more than 7,000 kids who attend camps across 120 to 130 host recreation centers.
The city could not say just how many camp spots would be freeing up this year, as it depends on how many children from what are considered “returning families” claim spots.
The summer childcare scramble
Even if a child can secure a spot in a city-run summer camp, it doesn’t fully solve summer childcare needs for families.
The camps run for six weeks and have age restrictions. Parents often have to shell out hundreds more to fill in gaps in care.
Other summer camp operators have issues of their own. This year, the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Penn Museum announced they will not host their popular summer camps, citing budget constraints.
Dena Ferrara Driscoll, a mother of two who lives in South Philadelphia, has been a public advocate for more investment in summer camps and after-care programs. Her children attended city-run camps and now her son works there in the summer.
Driscoll wasn’t surprised by the continued demand for camp spots. The programs are “affordable, safe, and deeply loved,” she said.
“A lottery might change who gets a spot, but it doesn’t address the real issue: Families need more affordable camp options provided by the city, not just a new system to distribute the ones we already have,” she said.