Street smart

Andrew Glazer

The SWAT team van -- now decorated with gingerbread men and a color

scheme reminiscent of a Doritos bag -- finished the first cruise on its

new beat Friday.

This time, the truck was filled with hockey sticks, not rifles; kneepads

instead of flak jackets; Crayons, not ammunition.

“We make sure the children are safe. And we bring the fun to them,” said

Nick Novak, 21, who is one of a team of four volunteers from the city of

Costa Mesa’s recreation department operating the Mobile Recreation Unit.

This summer, the energetic team will close off streets in neighborhoods

packed with children and organize arts and crafts, games of street hockey

and half-court basketball.

The goal: To get children away from the enticing glow of a television

screen, said Deanna Hawkinson, an assistant recreation supervisor for the

city, who helped organize the program.

“They have nothing really else to do,” she said. “Most are stuck at home.

And if they don’t have transportation, they can’t get to the playground.”

It’s the city’s first time using the truck. Many other Orange County

cities have similar programs. And children and parents at a stop on

Valencia Street on Friday afternoon were unabashed in their enthusiasm.

“I like to sweat,” said Samuel Panigua, 13, whose face was flush after a

stick-flailing game of street hockey. “I’d probably be watching TV if the

truck weren’t here.”

In the truck’s pilot week, the recreation team learned children would

swarm the truck on some streets while other streets would be empty. It

drew more than 50 children to play on Shalimar and Valencia streets, but

not a soul on Melody Street.

The recreation crew said they would probably reroute the truck to the

stops where children showed up.

With an awkward “my big teeth haven’t all grown in yet” smile, Nickoles

Graham, 8, said he would wait on Valencia Street for the familiar toot of

the Mobile Recreation Unit’s horn every day.

“I wouldn’t be allowed to play in the street if the truck weren’t here,”

he said.

FYI

The Mobile Recreation Unit is scheduled to visit the following locations:

* MONDAY: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 700 Shalimar Drive; 2 to 5 p.m. at 600

Joann Street.

* TUESDAY: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 100 Melody Lane; 2 to 5 p.m. at 1700

Wallace Avenue.

* WEDNESDAY: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 900 Valencia Street; 2 to 5 p.m. at 500

Bernard Street.

* THURSDAY: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 600 Joann Street; 2 to 5 p.m at 700

Shalimar Drive.

* FRIDAY: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 100 Melody Lane; 2 to 5 p.m. at 900

Valencia Street.