News Editor

AHOSKIE – Looking to expand your recreational enjoyment? Then look no further than the Ahoskie Recreation Department.

In an effort to offer local residents additional recreation venues, the Ahoskie Town Council has approved a revamped summer schedule for the town’s Recreation Department.

One of the more noticeable changes will occur at the Recreation Center, located on West Main Street. There, the Center will use a summer format (June 1 through Aug. 31) that calls for the facility to remain open from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. (Monday-Thursday) and 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday.

The following schedule will be used at the Recreation Center through Aug. 31:

Mondays and Wednesdays: Aerobics (10-11:30 a.m.); Ping Pong, Chess, Checkers, Foosball, etc. (11:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.); and Aerobics (5-6:30 p.m.).

Tuesdays and Thursdays: Ping Pong, Chess, Checkers, Foosball, etc. (9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.) and Aerobics (5-6:30 p.m.).

Fridays: Aerobics (10-11:30 a.m.) and Ping Pong, Chess, Checkers, Foosball, etc. (11:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.).

Outdoor activities at the Woodpark Area of the Recreation Center will include Horseshoes, Volleyball and Badminton. These activities are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. on Monday through Friday.

Meanwhile, the Recreation Gym (the old Ahoskie High School gym) will follow new hours for the summer. Beginning immediately, the Rec Gym will be open for &uot;free play&uot; from 9 a.m. until 12 noon, Monday through Thursday (closed on Friday). Different age groups will be admitted on different days – Monday (youth: ages 11-12); Tuesday (Adults: ages 18-and-up); Wednesday (Young Adults: ages 13-18) and Thursday (Youth: ages 8-10).

&uot;The actual usage by certain age groups is not set in stone at this point,&uot; said Ahoskie Recreation Director Dennis Everett. &uot;We may have to adjust things based upon what we see as far as what age groups are using the gym on specific days.&uot;

The gym will be open until mid August expect for the week of June 21-25 at which time the Marvin Moore Basketball Camp will be taking place.

Other summer recreation plans call for tennis, fast-pitch softball, soccer and basketball camps. In addition, plans call for a 3-on-3 basketball tournament (for ages 18 and over) to be held either at the Recreation Gym or Futrell Park on Richard Street.

Dates have yet to be announced for the camps or the tournament. The Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald will publish those dates just as soon as they become available.

In other matters brought before the Town Council during its June 8 meeting:

* Recognized James Banks as Employee of the Month. Banks works as a crew leader with the Street Department.

* Council was formally introduced to four new employees with the Police Department – patrol officers James Cooper, Brian Knowles and Eric Smith along with Jimmy Asbell, who will assume a Major’s position within the department.

* Due to the ongoing wastewater moratorium, denied an out-of-town request from Terri Smallwood to hook on to the town’s sewer system.

* Heard a presentation from Patricia Vinson regarding the Northampton County Faith Community Enterprise, a group seeking grant funding to launch a self-help housing project that aids families in becoming first-time home buyers. Council voted to submit a letter of support to help Vinson in her quest to obtain grant funding.

* Awarded a contract in the amount of $8,200 to Nancy Van Dolsen to complete the work necessary to expand Ahoskie’s Historic District. The dollar amount of the contract will be taken from the town’s industrial development fund.

* Heard an update on the ongoing process of building condemnation in town.

* Approved the following appointments to various Boards that operate under the umbrella of town government: Planning Board – Charles Reynolds, Hershey Lee and Eugene Powell. Board of Adjustment – Wendy Ruffin-Barnes and Hershey Lee. Housing Authority – Junious B. Russell. Recreation Advisory Committee – Viretta Vann and Kristine Burton. Library – Dot Powell. Historic Preservation Committee – Carolyn Mitchell and Dan Smith. Beautification Commission – Inez Bracy and Elsie Powell.