‘Enthusiastic’ director heads Poland’s new recreation department.
By Emily Tuttle
Special to the Sun Journal

Poland – There’s no official sign on the door yet, but the town’s newly created recreation department is up and running.

The department serves to coordinate long-established programs and to provide new ways to meet needs for town and area residents.

“There is so much opportunity here,” said Scott Segal, hired this fall to head the department. “Over time, I’d like to see year-round programs for all ages.”

Born and raised in Portland, Segal said he fell in love with the Poland area after taking the job. He has spent the past two months converting a closet in the historic Town Hall annex building into his office and getting to know the town.

A fresh coat of paint, a computer, a telephone and a long list of program ideas generated by residents furnish the second-floor space.

Now he is working on a Web site for the recreation department and additional programs for next year. He plans to have the site on line by February.

“It’s all relatively new,” said Town Manager Richard Chick, “but we have an enthusiastic director.”

Before taking the job in Poland, Segal worked with KidsPeace, a social service agency. He earned a degree in therapeutic recreation from the University of Southern Maine and has spent several years coaching.

Along with suggestions from townspeople, Segal has a few ideas of his own. He has been on the phone for recently lining up additional facilities and opportunities for adult recreation. Also on his list are a youth skating program for next winter and a year-round outdoor adventure program for teens.

Another offering for next winter is a preschool program, which Segal calls Winter Playland. It will provide an indoor play facility, using the new Town Hall multipurpose room. The program will be open to the public and to day-care providers for a fee. Nearly all current and future programs will be self-supporting through fees, Segal said.

In previous years, community volunteers ran youth recreation programs and holiday-related events. The new arm of town government provides a central location for tapping into community resources, while still relying heavily on volunteer support, Segal said.

Poland’s Recreation Commission and the Poland Youth League had strong track records of operating programs but had been running into difficulty providing insurance, Chick said.

After defeating the proposal in 2002, voters approved the $144,000 department at the last town meeting, Chick said. The budget includes program overhead and salaries for Segal and part-time recreation coordinator Tina West of Gorham.

The department was created to serve the needs of residents and to accommodate people from nearby towns as resources allow, Segal said.

The program already offers Saturday basketball clinics for kids from kindergarten through grade six at Poland Regional High School. Also in session are a cheering program and an open gym for co-ed adult basketball.

The town has a working relationship for recreational uses with the Ricker Library, Poland Community School, Town Hall, Poland Historical Society, Santa Comes to Poland, Poland Regional High School, Lost Valley Ski Area, and several area youth sports leagues.

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