by Mary Gauen, Public Relations Director

Last summer, the Evanston Recreation Department introduced an exciting aquatics camp for boys and girls, age 11 to 14.

Utilizing existing facilities at the City's Burnham Park and Dawes Park Beach on the shores of Lake Michigan, the new program emphasized swimming, sailing, rowing, canoeing, life-saving, water skiing, skin diving, aqua-planing, first aid, knot tying and land sports. Two 3-week sessions were conducted.

"The purpose of the program," according to Allen Hyman, Lake-front Director, "was to offer young people an opportunity to broaden their aquatic background while developing respect and understanding of open water and aquatic equipment."

Among the Aquatics Camp's goals, were to give each youngster the chance to acquire the following abilities and experiences: skiing with two skis; operating a power boat safely; understanding the techniques of good boatmanship; skin diving in local areas of underwater interest; learning lifesaving and first aid skills from certified instructors; sailing well enough to enter races; improving swimming competence; rowing a boat and paddling a canoe alone and as part of a crew.

Eight teams of eight children were accommodated each term for a capacity enrollment of 64 youth per session. Each participant paid a fee of $35.00 per session and was required to pass a test proving his ability to swim 50 yards.

Crafts utilized ranged from canoes and sunfish sailboats to a Boston Whaler motorboat.

Unusual equipment included a ski boom so that novice water skiers could be pulled adjacent to the boat carrying the instructor, and jousting platforms devised of plywood and tractor innertubes. This year they plan to add a crew rowboat that accommodates up to 30 youngsters at the same time.

To administer camp activities the Lakefront Director was aided by two program specialists, two program assistants, 1 sailing instructor and, four regular lakefront lifeguards. All staff members were certified safety instructors.

Day to day camp activities were contingent on four kinds of water conditions on Lake Michigan. On "calm water days" every attempt was made to offer all water activities: rowing; sailing; skiing; canoeing; jousting; fins and masks; inner tube; aquaplane; boat capacity and water games.

On "moderately calm days" time was spent at rowing, canoeing, inner tubes, kickboards, water games, knot tying, volleyball, horizontal bar and kickball.

When the water was "rough" the leaders scheduled inner tubes, kickboards, body surfing, kickball, baseball, volleyball, and tetherball.

Waves of 3 to 6 feet in height were welcomed as a practical means to teach children about wave cycles, currents, and undertows. Protected by life preservers, they were sent into such water with innertubes, kick-boards, paddle boards or to body surf so that they could experience these natural phenomena and thus acquire a healthy respect for them.

Participants are learning about the balance or a canoe.

As many as 10 water skiers could be pulled at one time. At least 3 staff were intermingled with the skiers.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 8 May/June, 1973

Participants are learning how to work as a team in rowing.

Jousting, updated as a water sport, staged a comeback from the Middle Ages at the Evanston Recreation Departments Aquatics Camp.

Special land events held on rough water days were scavenger hunts, obstacle course, junior Olympics, marathon tire roll and proficiency testing. Those who qualified were awarded Red Cross Lifesaving and First Aid Certificates as well as other proficiency awards.

On rainy and/or cold days, youth were schooled in knot tying, seamanship, artificial respiration, sailing nomenclature, first aid and lifesaving. Films on lifesaving and safety were screened.

During a Lakefront Festival conducted by the Evanston Recreation Department, the aquatics campers joined with other youngsters in a city-wide Fish Rodeo and Beach Olympics. In addition, the campers put on their own water show to showcase their newly-won skills and techniques for families and friends.

No accidents marred the six-week camping experience.

An important prelude to the smooth operation of the first Aquatics Camp, was judged to be the one-week training period conducted for the camp staff. A parent orientation session, held prior to camp opening, also was of value. Parents were advised about the mechanics of the camp, and insurance availability and given the opportunity to ask questions.

The pilot Aquatics Camp of 1972 was evaluated as a complete success and current projections call for expanding by increasing enrollment and lengthening each session to four weeks.

One minor problem of the past year proved to be the wide age span between campers when competitive skill-oriented activities were offered. This will be avoided next year by holding two sessions daily.

For the 1973 season, a full-time director and assistant director will be hired to operate the camp under the supervision of the Lakefront Director. Both are to be multi-skilled in aquatics and land sports. Their staff will include four instructors, two assistant instructors and one full-time lifeguard. All instructors are to be W.S.I. (Water Safety Instructors) and at least one must be a First Aid Instructor. The lifeguard is to be assigned constant patrol of the waters where camp activities are in progress.

The Aquatics Camp, in addition to standing on its own merit, also is spawning another new lake-front program. Because of the rousing reception accorded water skiing, the Evanston Recreation Department, for the first time, will add instructional water skiing classes to its summer program in 1973.

It's not everyday, a Recreation Department receives a mash note that reads, "Thank you . . . for initiating this program. It was terrific." To quote another fan, the Department administrators count it as "A very healthy concept."

Illinois Parks and Recreation 9 May/June, 1973