The creation of a full-time recreation department is underway in Medford after the Fiscal Year 2018 budget dedicated an extra $262,000 to the program.

The city currently has a limited summer recreation series in place, but there was great need for a larger program that will span the entire year, according to City Councilor George Scarpelli, who spearheaded the project.

“People were crying for it. We just didn’t have what other communities have,” Scarpelli said.

The push for a full-time department began at the start of Mayor Stephanie M. Burke’s term, when her transition teams saw that many residents wanted an expanded program. She appointed Scarpelli to lead a 13-person focus group about 10 months ago, which met regularly to develop plans for the program.

The group’s findings included that middle school and high school students needed more after school programs and that many families were sending their kids to recreation programs in other towns.

Burke and Scarpelli both noted that various programs have been available in Medford, but they haven’t been run through an organizing body up to this point.

“The lack of that point person, that point department in our community that can work hand-in-hand with our constituents – there wasn’t a conduit to put it all together, so we can do what our kids deserve,” Scarpelli said.

Descriptions for the department’s leadership will be up online soon, and Burke hopes the program will be running in full by November or December.

The director and assistant director will have significant sway over what exactly the department will look like and offer, according to Scarpelli. Possible programs include weekend basketball leagues, snowshoeing in the Middlesex Fells and kayaking in the Mystic Lakes. The department will aim to provide programs for everyone from children to senior citizens, according to Burke.

One of Scarpelli’s goals is that the department becomes self-sustaining so that it is not a burden on the city, but the program will likely have a sliding-scale payment system or scholarships so that no one is turned away from participating, he said.

“We want people to come out and meet one another,” Burke said. “It’s for healthy living, that’s the goal, and to provide safe programming so that all ages can live healthy lifestyles.”

While the department won’t be in full swing for this summer, the usual seasonal recreation program is in place. Athletic clinics, computing and filmmaking programs and a six-week Parks Program are among the activities that run through the summer. Learn more at www.medfordma.org/summer.