The Peoria Park District is looking at a $2 million dollar deficit this year due to the COVID-19 stay-at-home order.Park District Director Emily Cahill said the deficit can be pared down by temporarily closing the Franciscan Recreation Center, Glen Oak Amphitheater, and AquaPlex. But that still leaves a $956,000 shortfall this year - and problems also lie beyond New Year's. "Our challenges financially will not stop at the end of the year, and we need to be thinking about those mid-term and long-term implications of our modified operations and the financial position of our community moving forward as we try to recover from the COVID-19 experience," she said. The budget could be balanced by layoffs, or by dipping into the park district's reserve funds. Cahill is asking the board to provide direction at its June 24 meeting. Cahill said unique amenities like parks and trails, the Zoo, golf, rentals, and the Owens Recreation Center are among the biggest priorities to continue operating this year.Owens reopens on June 26. Yoga in the Park restarts July 4, and summer camp will begin July 6 with a focus on outdoor, day-long summer camp at Sommer Park. Movies in the Park programs begin September 1. The Peoria PlayHouse Children's Museum is the last park district facility slated to reopen this year, on Oct. 1. PPD Academy The Peoria Park District will offer a new program this year to address education gaps that began with the March stay-at-home order. Cahill said the half day "PPD Academy" is a half-day program for kids in grades K through 8 to get them prepped for the coming school year. "The collaboration with Peoria Public Schools has been outstanding, and we're able to target schools that we know have kids that probably would not be able to access in-person tutoring in another way. So it's a really good opportunity for us," she said.Certified teachers from Peoria Public Schools and other area districts will tutor kids starting June 22 at Proctor Center and July 6 at Lakeview.
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