MORE THAN 2,000 IGNORE HEAT, ENJOY SUMMER REC PROGRAMS

Thousands of Cape Girardeau adults and children are taking in stride the boiling summer and enjoying the many city recreation and sports programs now in full swing.

Penny Wingerter, recreation director, said several new programs this year have garnered citizens' interest, and long-standing activities continue to amass participants.

Typically, some of the recreation programs offered each year by the city are canceled because of low enrollments. But not this year, Wingerter said.

"It's been pretty consistent this year," she said. "It seems like our classes fill up right away. In the past sometimes we had to drop classes because there wasn't enough enrollment, but that hasn't been the case this year."

Some of the new programs include rock climbing classes at the Student Recreation Center at Southeast Missouri State University, a four-on-four adult basketball league at the A.C. Brase Arena Building and a high school volleyball league.

Wingerter said both sessions of the rock-climbing class are full and the basketball and volleyball leagues each have seven teams.

Two of the most popular programs are a co-ed softball league and a sand volleyball league. City workers Tuesday were busy installing lights for the sand volleyball pits, situated east of the tennis courts at Arena Park, to accommodate night games.

Wingerter said the volleyball courts are used daily and the league continues to expand. She said the lights will increase play even more. "We've got people there on weekends until 11 at night, playing in the dark," Wingerter said.

The co-ed softball league includes 36 teams with a total of about 600 players. Games are played every week night at Arena Park.

"When you look at the leagues, softball and volleyball, it's unreal the amount of people involved," Wingerter said.

Other recreation classes offered by the city include activities at the Cherokee Park playground, an "outdoor fun" class at Capaha Park, numerous aquatics classes at both swimming pools; and a bowling class that's slated to begin next week.

Also, a youth fishing class meets weekly and, for the second year, the city is offering a youth theater class for children ages 8-13.

"In only its second year, it's tripled in size," Wingerter said. "This year, we've got more than 40 kids, and they'll do a production at the end of the summer."

The key to the successful recreation programs, she said, is getting the help of dedicated, quality instructors.

"If we've got an instructor who's interested in something and is willing to work with the kids, we'll start a new program," Wingerter said. "We're really happy with the staff we have this year."

In total, more than 2,000 persons are enrolled in city recreation classes and leagues. More participate in various special events sponsored annually by the city.

And the parks and recreation department likely will expand during the next couple of years as the city builds two recreation and sports facilities as part of a convention and tourism recreation project.

The project is being financed with excess convention and tourism funds and includes a softball and soccer complex at Shawnee Park and the purchase of park land near the intersection of Mt. Auburn Road and Kingshighway, where a community activity center will be built.

"We're really looking forward to the next couple of years," Wingerter said. "With the addition of the new facilities, that's just going to open us up so much."

The recreation coordinator said the new facilities will enable the city to hire additional staff and expand recreation programs.

"I really think Cape Girardeau will be a place to watch as far as recreation for the next three years," Wingerter added. "There's no other community in Missouri that is expanding like we are.

"Bond issues are failing all over the state, but we're going to have two new facilities in the next couple years. The people of Cape Girardeau will have something to be proud of."