Mayor Keller Announces City’s Preparation Phase Readiness for Child, Youth and Summer Programs for Working Families

May 11, 2020

Mayor Tim Keller and City of Albuquerque officials announced new details on child, youth and summer programs today during a news conference. Programs are ready to be offered, but modified to operate following COVID-safe health and social distancing recommendations and to map to the State’s phased reopening stages. Due to the lead times required to have the possibility of these programs, the City is starting the registration and lottery process over the next few weeks.

“The City of Albuquerque is one of the largest child, youth and summer care providers in the state. Our top priority is keeping our community safe through this pandemic, which is why we have cancelled many programs and modified others,” said Mayor Keller. “However, we also know that child, youth and summer care must go hand-in-hand with any level of re-opening in our city, and that’s why we are ready, in step with the state’s reopening phases, to offer these programs to families who will need it.”

In a typical year, the City provides summer programs to over 30,000 kids. This year, the City will be operating programs at only 20 percent of the usual capacity.

The City is working inter-departmentally to implement a phased plan, to correspond with the State’s reopening phase guidance, for child, youth and summer programs. The plan will enable the programs to operate at 20 percent occupancy, while taking the most recent health recommendations into considerations including:

• Limiting overall attendance, strictly following CDC guidelines and State public health orders on gathering sizes
• Separated classrooms and lower student-teacher ratios
• Sign-in and reservation requirements to enable contact tracing in the event of an outbreak
• Staff and youth wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and facilities will be regularly and extensively cleaned
• Carefully managed pick-up and drop-off
• Daily screening, including temperature testing

Programs Available During Phase 1

Programs and facilities available during phase one, with limited capacity and reservations required include:

• Child Development Centers
• Virtual Library Summer Reading
• Community Center youth programs
• Multi-Generational Center youth programs
• BioPark programs at the Zoo, Botanic Gardens and Heritage Farm
• Playground Recreation Programs (pending APS approval)
• Public pool lap swim and swim teams
• Explora education program
• Museum school
• Most libraries (for basic services only)
• Summer meals (limited sites, grab-and-go style)
• Therapeutic recreation programs
• Open Space Summer Youth Corps
• Mayor’s Creative Youth Corps
• Playgrounds to open with disinfecting protocols in place

Registration and Lottery

Program details and registration and lottery processes for summer youth programs vary depending on the department offering the programs. Registration for community center programs are conducted through a lottery system.

Registration details: 

• Lottery to take place May 11 – 20
• Parents will be notified May 26 – May 29

Registration information for programs can be found online at play.cabq.gov.

Aquatics programs registration details:

Pending public health order, registration for private lessons at West Mesa and Los Altos will open up June 1 for a start on June 15. Swimming lesson classes will start July 6 with a registration date of June 15.

Recreation programs registration details:

The Recreation Division will be offering tennis lessons and pickleball lessons this summer. Tennis lessons will be offered at the Jerry Cline Tennis Center and the Sierra Vista Tennis Facility, while pickleball lessons will take place at the Manzano Mesa Pickleball Complex. Registration will take place in person at the Jerry Cline Tennis Center on a date to be determined once that facility is re-opened. A full schedule for lessons will soon be posted online at www.cabq.gov/parksandrecreation.

Open Space programs registration details:

Reservations for Summer Series hikes and events will begin on May 15 by email and telephone. Stay tuned for details.

Some programs with the Department of Cultural Services are already open for registration; others will open at a later time. Programs already open for registration, include:

• Camp BioPark
• Mayor’s Creative Youth Corps (applications open)
• Explora programs

The Summer Reading Program registration is set to begin on May 15.

Virtual Programs

The following events and programs have been modified to be virtual-only:

• Summer Reading Program
• Bilingual Open Space Family Nature Clubs
• Mayor’s Creative Youth Corps
• ABQtoDo – Centralized Family and Youth Activities on City Website
• Community Center High Five a Hero
• Water Safety Demonstrations
• Training and New Employee Orientation for Summer Program Staff

Canceled Programs

The City also announced a number of summer events and programs that are cancelled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those events and programs include:

• Teen Nights
• Downtown Summerfest
• Westside Summerfest
• Nob Hill Summerfest
• Heights Summerfest
• Open Swim at least until July
• Swim Meets
• All Special Events at Pools
• All Birthday Parties at Pools
• Water Polo Meets
• Water Polo Team Practices
• Softball Leagues at least until July
• Baseball Leagues at least until July
• All summer tournaments
• Festivals/Large Events
• Metro Swim Program
• Rail Yard Growers Market at least until July
• Downtown Growers Market
• Community Center Talent Show
• Zoo Music
• Garden Music
• Old Town Concerts
• Summer Concert Series
• All Events at KiMo Theatre
• Events at Golf Courses

Please find the presentation from today’s briefing attached.