As students with Hillsborough County Public Schools head into Spring Break the week of March 11th-15th, Tampa Parks and Recreation, in partnership with the Tampa Police Department, is kicking off the start of extended hours for the Stay & Play program and the addition of a new Stay & Play location.
Stay & Play is a teen-centric program, offering supervised recreational activities for youth ages 13-19 at select recreational centers around the City of Tampa during school breaks. Activities provided can range from sports leagues to creative arts.
Beginning Friday evening, March 8, the first day of Spring Break, Stay & Play hours will be extended from 10pm to midnight at four city park locations, and an additional fifth Stay & Play location, also open until midnight, will be available at the Tampa Police Athletic League (PAL), located at 1924 W Diana St. A Tampa Police officer will be on-site at all five Stay & Play locations each night.
The extra hours and location were made possible through additional funding allocated to the program from the Tampa Police Department and Parks and Recreation Department following previous discussions of a citywide juvenile curfew.
“The expansion of Stay & Play this Spring Break to include our Police Athletic League is an ideal opportunity to further enhance programs available for our youth,” said Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw. “We are committed to working with our city and community partners to give our children safe and positive spaces to spend their time.”
“As schools let out for spring break, the Stay & Play program offers extended hours and planned activities as an option for enrichment, socialization, and fun in a safe environment,” Parks and Recreation Director Tony Mulkey said. “We recognize the importance of engaging with teens throughout our community for growth and character development. Stay & Play is part of Parks and Recreation’s strategy to reduce negative influences and empower our youth.”
