POTSDAM — While the village summer recreation camp this year will feature a higher day fee, options are available to keep the cost manageable for all, says a village trustee.
The recent announcement of the village’s summer recreation camp, this year a state-licensed day camp, has raised some concerns from the public over the cost this year.
In response to the concerns, village officials recently lowered the cost of daily attendance from the previously planned $24 a day for village residents and $30 for non-village residents, to $20 a day for all summer recreation camp attendees. [An earlier version of this story which ran in NCTW print edition, did not reflect this most recent price of $20 which was instituted after the newspaper went to press.]
In addition, Village Trustee Lynzie Schulte, a member of the village recreation committee, says there are several options to keep the cost low, and that no child will be turned away.

The village’s program this coming season will be an all-day, five days a week, six-week-long program as opposed to the shorter duration programs offered last year which were only every other week, and for less hours during the day, for $10 per day.
Schulte says while the cost is higher, the camp will offer more than in years past, with more hours, additional staff supervision, and more structure. Schulte told North Country This Week that the higher daytime fee will also help pay for the expense of the camp instead of most of the cost being borne by taxpayers as it was in years past.
Additionally, there will be several options, including discounts and scholarships to allow any child to attend.
Schulte said the camp will be 8-hours per day with scheduled activities, and will have not only enhanced supervision but Department of Health-approved safety plans in place for the playground activities as well as the beach. In years past, the beach featured a general DOH safety plan for the beach, but the camp safety plans for day camps will be more extensive, she said.
“We are also offering it for six full weeks as opposed to every other week, and if you go all out you have to be a (state-approved) camp,” Schulte said.
“We have really wanted a full day, all-day summer camp offering,” she said. “And we have found great people to do that this year,” she said.
“We are hoping to cover most of the work day for parents,” she said.
Schulte said the staff members hired to run the camp are already training so they “can hit the ground running on day one.”
While the plans for the camp will be enhanced in several ways over what has been offered in the past, several village residents recently sounded off on the village’s Facebook post announcing the program, calling out the village for the cost. Last year’s camp was $10 a day, while this year the camp will be $20 for village children, and $30 for those from outside the village.
Several measures are in place to make the camp accessible to all children Schulte said.
“Our plan is to not turn anyone away in the village of Potsdam,” the trustee said. “We want every kid to come.”
And, while direct busing to the camp won’t be offered by the village due to expense of transportation, the village is hoping to offer transportation in the future.
While the $20 per day fee is high in comparison to the cost offered for the programs last year ($10), Schulte points out that in comparison to other day camps offered in the region, the fee is less than some and slightly more than others.
The trustee offered a comparison of some of the other camps and summer programs offered around the area, with the hours of operation, and type of program as follows:
• Village of Potsdam Summer Day Camp, June 30-Aug 8, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., $100 per week;
• SUNY Potsdam Summer Basketball Camp, July 14-17, for ages 8-17, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., $415 for 4 days;
• Crane School of Music Youth Music Camp, July 6-12, ages 12-18, $575 (commuter) for 6 days, $895 (room & board) for 6 days;
• Massena summer recreation, June 27-Aug 8, four different locations, 9-11:30 a.m., optional bus to beach 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m., free;
• SUNY Canton, July 7-Aug 15, 1st-5th grade & 6th-9th grade, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $250 per week;
• CCE Farm Day Camp, July 7-Aug 22, 8-4:30 p.m., $230 per week;
• 4H Camp Overlook, July 6-Aug 15th, overnight, $497 per week;
• North Country Children’s Museum, July 7-Aug 29, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., $225 per week; and
• Ogdensburg Summer Sports Camps, June 30-Aug 8, different sport focus each week, 1-1.5 hours per day and varies by age, $30 per weekly camp (about $5-6 per hour).
In addition, Schulte said last year, the $10 per day fee really wasn’t paying for summer recreation and most of the cost was being supported by tax dollars.
“The $10 fee did not cover the budget for summer camp,” she said.
Schulte said the revenue taken in from registration fees in the Summer of 2024 for the every other week summer recreation program totaled $5,480 and the expenses totaled $75,000 which included hiring lifeguards for the entire season.
The bottom line for 2025 is expected to be better, she said. Projected revenues for registrations for the six full weeks of summer camps planned in 2025 are around $25,000, with $86,000 in expenses expected, also covering lifeguard salaries.
“We’ve also put a lot of effort into updating the Pine Street park,” Schulte said.
The park will feature new playground equipment this year, along with a gaga pit, new outdoor water fountain and an outdoor workout area for adults. “We’ve tried to do enhancements for all ages,” she said.
“I’m a huge advocate for health and wellness and making sure all ages have fun activities,” she said.
The village has invested funding it received from the American Rescue Plan Act in the facility Pine Street over the last year or two, with $50,000 in repairs made to the compressor and water tower for the inside of the arena; $22,000 invested in the toddler playground and outside improvements; $4,500 in a new freezer, worktable, 3-bay sink, hot dog roller, sno-cone machine and other improvements at the concession stand; and $1,500 in the Ives Park boathouse, Adirondack chairs, and giant outdoor games.
More improvements are planned in the future.
At the village board meeting last month, trustees voted to direct Mayor Alexandra Jacobs Wilke to enter into an agreement with LaBella Associates for architectural and engineering services for the renovation of and addition to the Pine Street Arena and Sandstoner Park as part of the Village of Potsdam Sandstoner Park Recreation Center Design Project. This work will be funded through a grant by the NYS Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, Project #C1002628.
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