Amherst Recreation

"My child has been enrolled in swimming lessons, the after-school program, and the town summer camp through Amherst recreation. I've been very pleased with all three. Regarding the after-school program and the summer camp in particular, these are a great resource for working parents with children in Amherst. As many working parents know, the public school schedule does not align well with most people's typical work day. The after-school program closes this gap during the school year, and the summer camp closes this gap during summer vacation. Both of these are relatively affordable when you take into account payroll and operating costs associated with these types of programs. I have heard some parents complain, but I think it's primarily a result of unrealistic expectations. The after school program is staffed by college students enrolled in a higher ed major. The summer camp is staffed by high school students on summer break. As with most things in life, I'm sure there are other amazing options out there if you're willing to pay a premium. But my kid loved both and made a lot of friends. In terms of swimming lessons, again, it's a matter of expectations. They are very affordable for what you get. If you want your child to swim competitively at some point, this probably isn't the option for you. But if you want a child to become familiar with the water and learn the basics of swimming and water safety then you will probably find these lessons to be a good fit. All in all, Amherst Rec has been a great resource for me and my family and I regularly recommend these programs to others."

"I registered my son for two weeks teaching sessions in Mill river pool, but the instructors did not teach. They are very young and prefer to talk and call on kids imagination instead of teaching in action. They are asking the kids about their nationality and ignoring the international kids. They made fun of my son twice. I think this is the matter of racism. I don't recommend this pool. It seems there is no supervision or management over there."