Smith's Clove Park, the 70-acre tract of land that lies behind the three stone pillars on Spring Street, is synonymous with Monroe sports. Just about every team activity there is from hockey to basketball, from tennis to handball, from football to soccer is practiced and played on one of the park fields or courts. It's a place where townspeople come together to coach a game, view it from the stands, or enjoy a family party by one of the pavilions.

Donated in 1965 by Roscoe W. Smith, founder of the Orange & Rockland Utilities Company, the park has continually been fulfilling the stipulation made by Smith at the time, that it be used solely for recreation. Smith's Clove Park has an extremely busy social calendar all year long.

The coordination of these events, plus the responsibility of maintaining the grounds and initiating improvements, is handled by the Monroe Joint Parks Recreation Commission (MJPRC). This commission consists of representatives from the town and village of Monroe; five from each, making a total of 10. The meetings, open to the public, are held at the Smith's Clove Park Recreation Office on the fourth Monday of each month.

The most widely attended and most popular program the park provides is the summer youth activity camp, or YAC. The camp follows the guidelines as set forth by Orange County and New York State, and is a very inexpensive way to provide recreation to the children of Monroe. The six-week day camp starts up right after the July 4th holiday and runs through the second week of August and offers sport activities, arts & crafts, intramural events, special-theme days, and field trips. Extended hours are also available at a nominal fee, and parents are encouraged to purchase a pre-paid card to eliminate daily transactions.

The field trips, though are extra, can range from a 3-D movie at the IMAX theatre, a round of mini-golf at The Castle in Chester, or a day at the Orange County Fair. Buses are available to bring the children back and forth from the events with adults and counselors constantly providing supervision. For those children who do not attend the trips, the camp activities continue back at the park. The MJPRC is always on the look out for trained instructors who can offer part-time programs.

Last summer, a tennis program was begun, and was an immediate hit; this spring, a beginner photography class for kids has been planned and will run for four weeks. These new programs join an already full roster of events that include movies in the summer, a dance mixer for kids 9-12, basketball camp, baby-sitting classes and holiday traditions like the egg hunt, and the tree lighting.

Residents can get information from the "coming events" board just outside the park, the local channel 22, and announcements in The Photo News will highlight special events and registration information for YAC.

"We have never lost sight of Mr. Smith's request that the park be used for family recreation, and are always interested in new ideas and ways to improve the park." - Tony Cardone, MJPRC chairman