Darren M. Morton, Ed.D. Commissioner

Sylvia Gadson Deputy Commissioner

The Mount Vernon Department of Recreation has been providing quality recreational programming for Mount Vernon residents for over 70 years.

First established by the Common Council in 1925, the Mount Vernon Recreation Commission became an official city department in 1931. The department has a rich history of supplying Mount Vernonites with some of the best recreational activities in the county. Mount Vernon has been host to numerous Olympic tri-state trials and track and field athletic competitions. Baseball is the favorite past time of most Mount Vernonites and is an important component of the department’s organized sports offerings. The City’s appreciation of tennis is evidenced by our annual tennis tournaments dating back over 50 years.

Memorial Field, formally know as City Field, was hailed as one of the finest fields in the State with its “ideal location visible from the Hutchinson River Parkway.” The courts on Fourth Street Playground, now known as The Mount Vernon Basketball Center, have helped some notable basketball players hone their craft, bringing out scouts from major colleges to recruit players. Hartley Park, in the center of the city, stands proud with its large gazebo and is a particular favorite of senior citizens.

The Recreation Department utilizes a majority of its city-funded resources towards the prevention of juvenile delinquency through offering many developmental youth programs. Continually in the forefront of change for youth in the city, the department focuses on building developmental assets for youth. Recreational activities are the key building blocks that help young people grow to be healthy, caring and responsible adults.

This department works closely with many agencies to promote the development of positive self-images and community mindedness that are necessary for our citizens to be successful. Program offerings and individual leisure activities run from organized sports to outdoor concerts. After school programs, computer skills training and other activities are made available throughout the year.

Recreation Department Programs

Register for any of our programs at the Department of Recreation, Room #11, City Hall between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. All participants must fill out a registration form and pay at the time of registration. We accept cash, checks and money orders. Phone registrations are not accepted. Please make all checks payable to the Mount Vernon Recreation Department. If an opening does occur in a filled program applicants will be called from a waiting list in the order they applied.

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