BROOKLYN, Ohio -- Yet another causality of COVID-19 was Brooklyn’s new Safety Town program, which a year after it was supposed to debut will come to fruition this summer.
“While in the process of master planning for the parks, we’re moving forward with Safety Town regardless,” Brooklyn Recreation Commissioner Jack Abbruzzese said. “It’s happening this year.”
Using mostly recreation department budget funds, the plan is to spend roughly $50,000 to build Safety Town -- which is a collaboration between the city, police department, fire department, Brooklyn City Schools and community volunteer groups -- on two former Memorial Park tennis courts that were paved over last year.
The location near the parking lot and pavilion provides easy access for the drop-off and pick-up of pre-kindergarteners taking the safety awareness and education program.
Safety Town features six buildings a functioning traffic light and the blacktop painted to mimic city roads and parking lots.
“My guess is we’ll come in under budget,” said Abbruzzese, who as a Brooklyn native attended Safety Town decades ago. “We’re looking to paint the course in April. The community volunteer groups will be helping us construct the buildings in April. We’ll start placing the buildings and doing landscaping in May.
“We’re planning for first classes to be in August. However, we might even start late July depending on the maximum number of kids per class we can have due to safety protocols. So you’ll have three or four weeks of total classes and be done by end of August.”
Work on Safety Town started last year with the removal of the tennis courts and the installation of a fence.
The rec center director said Brooklyn Police Department’s school resource officer Dan Meadows is creating the curriculum with middle and high school volunteer students taking part in the teaching the program.
Brooklyn Police Chief Scott Mielke noted Safety Town was a valuable asset in the past. In fact, as a young bicycle officer teaching the program, he admittedly had as much fun as the kids.
“It provides our police officers an opportunity to interact with the little ones early and right before they enter kindergarten,” Mielke said. “The kids get to know our officers and see them in a positive light.
“Officers get to help teach rules and stress the importance of being safe, whether it’s wearing a seat belt, crossing the street, stranger danger or wearing a bike helmet in a fun atmosphere. Our officers are really looking forward to being part of such an important and fun program this summer.”
Brooklyn Mayor Katie Gallagher said she’s excited the city is bringing back Safety Town.
“The recreation department has worked closely with the police, fire and school to ensure this is a program that can benefit children and families for years to come,” Gallagher said.
“I certainly can remember my experience at Safety Town decades ago since we use the rules and safety suggestions our entire lives.”
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