St. Johns County parks director Ryan Kaine outlines camp demand, expanded programs and athletics partnerships

Ryan Kaine, director of parks and recreation for St. Johns County, told the County Conversations podcast that the department offers a broad set of programs for residents of all ages and is seeing especially high demand for summer camps and recreational leagues.

"We do a lot of parent and child classes," Kaine said, listing story time, playground and splash‑pad activities, and small 'crafty tots' sessions for toddlers. He described outreach that includes a rescued gopher tortoise, "Auggie," who is housed with outdoor recreation staff at Waldron Family Park and brought to events to teach visitors about gopher tortoise conservation.

Kaine said the department runs core summer and after‑school camps at seven locations around the county and operates specialty camps such as archery and fishing. "This current summer, we have 535 kids registered for camp. There was 1,644 children entered the lottery," he said, illustrating the gap between demand and available slots and the resulting waitlists.

The department also offers adult recreation programming including flag football, softball, basketball and volleyball, as well as water activities, beach walks, history programs and pickleball lessons. "Pickleball is ballooning up," Kaine said, adding that lessons help first‑time players learn fundamentals so they can join open play.

Seniors are a major participant group, Kaine said, and the Solomon Calhoun Center hosts walking groups and aerobic classes aimed at keeping older residents active and socially connected.

Kaine emphasized partnerships with local athletic associations, noting the county provides venues and staffing while partner organizations—nearly 20 in total—run leagues and supply much of the specialized equipment. He cited Ancient City Soccer and the Police Athletic League as examples of partner groups that operate on county fields.

The parks and recreation department maintains a substantial asset base, Kaine said: "We have 126 athletic fields, 119 courts, and nine community centers," which the county staffs and maintains while associations often fund or own specific equipment and, in some cases, facilities.

Most program listings and registration links are published on the county parks and recreation site and on the department's social channels; Kaine said the department also sends a concise monthly e‑newsletter highlighting upcoming programs.

The episode closed with an invitation from Wayne Larson, director of public affairs, to follow the department's online channels for details and registration information.