Local man is new park rec operations manager

Tiffin native Mason Correll is the new rec operations manager for Tiffin Park & Recreation Department. Correll is new to the park department, but not new to Tiffin. The 2014 Columbian graduate most recently worked as the assistant forester at Tiffin’s Public Works Department, and he's attending Eastern Gateway Community College through a program offered to city employees. During high school, Correll said, he worked at Meadowbrook Park, Bascom, for three years and then worked at Meadowbrook full time for a year as assistant park manager doing maintenance, scheduling and office work. He said he applied for the city parks department job because he enjoyed park work. "I saw it as a good opportunity to be involved in the community," he said. "I'm excited to have Mason on board," said park department Director Bryce Kuhn. "He's energetic and outgoing. He'll fill the post great with his knowledge of Tiffin and the area." Kuhn said he and Correll will be working on a new format for summer camps in Tiffin. Instead of the general themes of the past, Kuhn said camps are to become more focused on learning specific skills. "The life lessons is what we want to capture," he said. For example, an equestrian camp has been offered the past few years, which he hopes will continue, and last year, a culinary camp started in which children worked with Sentinel Career and Technology Center staff to learn about culinary arts. During the next month, Kuhn said he and Correll plan to meet with potential partners who already provide similar camps or might be interested in working with the park department on a camp. "We're looking at expanding our horizons and partnering with other agencies in town," Kuhn said. Partnering lessons competition between agencies, he said, and broadens the scope of camp themes available to children. Kuhn said he has thought about camps featuring trades. For example, the park department possibly could connect with Sentinel's building trades program and teach kids to build a birdhouse, for example. "That would be kind of a good life skill," he said. Another idea is working with The Ritz Theater on a theater camp, or maybe a camp where kids learn about bird banding. Kuhn said he and partners are looking at ways to expand Hero Camp, which focuses on learning about people in the community such as police officers, firefighters and other emergency personnel. Kuhn said he expects more information to be available and camp signups to start in mid-April. Prices will vary by camp. Anyone — parents or kids — with ideas for summer camps they would like to see offered can email Correll at mcorrell@tiffinohio.gov.