PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Spring Break is right around the corner, but for many parents that means it's time to think about summer, and summer camps for their kids.
In Port St. Lucie, they're adding hundreds of new spots for campers, but it's going to a little luck for parents to get their kids in.
At Pioneer Park in Port St. Lucie, I found 5-year-old Mason and his mom enjoying a spring day, thinking ahead to summer camp plans.
“We usually do a couple months in advance, at least three," said Shannon VanOstrand.
The city of Port St. Lucie is expanding its camp offerings this year to serve an additional 210 campers, while adding four new camp locations throughout the city.
“There’s always a need to be able to make sure that the kids during the summer have something to do," said Port St. Lucie city spokesman Scott Samples.
This year, for the first time, there will be a lottery system in place, instead of first-come, first-serve, which would fill up in just minutes.
“Make it more equitable and fair for more people," said Samples.
One issue that’s gotten a lot of talk on social media is the cost of summer camp.
Weekly rates are being bumped up from $95 to $140 dollars per week, so that the city is no longer subsidizing any part of the program.
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“This was a way for us to provide more service by having more people able to join, but at the same time having the costs absorbed by the people participating in the camps," said Samples.
Austy Zimmer’s kids are just about at summer camp age, and she feels the price is fair.
“It’s great to learn that this place offers a summer camp, that’s great to learn," said Zimmer.
The camps run from June 9 through Aug. 1. Parents will get to choose which location works best for their child.
The lottery sign up starts this Friday and runs through next Friday. We’ve got a link with more information here.
