San Antonio โParks and Recreation to Cut Classes Amidโฃ Low attendance
SANโ ANTONIO – The San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department is planning to reduce some class offerings after data revealed nearly one-third of programs consistently had noโฃ participants, officials announced this week. The cuts come as the city faces a projected budget shortfall of nearly $173 million over the next two years, though department leaders emphasize the decision is also driven โby a desire to optimize resources and focus on program โquality.
The issue surfaced during aโข comprehensiveโ budget review, highlighting a disparity inโฃ class popularity. While some fitness classes and programs held โฃin remote locations like North Side parks saw zero attendance, others at community centers wereโฃ consistently oversubscribed as children gravitated toward preferred options. Departmentโฃ officials say they will prioritize maintaining popular, well-attended classes and expanding access to the city’s 19 community centers.”So, when the community would come in – kids primarilyโ – choosing which class they want โto be in, a lot of them โขgravitated to some more than others,” said Assistant city Manager John Garcia. “And so, we focused the reductionโ on where there was zero attendance.”
Sanchez, a resident whoโ hasโค attended Parks and Recreation classes, noted she’s experienced firsthand โฃtheโ low โฃturnout. “Classes far away, likeโ yoga classes, where there’s nobody there,” she said. โค
Garcia stated the department’s goal is to shift from โข”programming every available space, every hour” to a model focusedโข on “quality, not quantity.” He also announced plans to increase operating hours at community centers during a budget โwork session on Tuesday.
The San Antonio City Council โฃis scheduled to vote on a final city budget on September 18.