Recreation Fields Cameras
Around the time that the Borough started implementing their fiber loop, ideas started to circulate amongst the OCC's Television Committee as to what would be the best use of this new capability and what would also create new programming and volunteerism opportunities.
By the late 2010s, it was quite clear what the best proposal would be - after first installing cameras at the Senior Center as a test and learning case, the ante would be upped by installing permanent PTZ cameras onto the light poles at the Borough's Recreation Complex, and also ensuring that ports were installed to allow for on-the-ground PTZ and/or regular video cameras to be plugged into the network so coverage could be flexible and allow for multiple angles.
This idea was only briefly brought up to the Recreation Commission in the early thinking stages and they brought up several good points:
There should be some way for those on the fields to know the cameras are active and recording. There should be an On Air light, the cameras should light up, etc.
Some parents may not want their children recorded/broadcast. The remedy to this was that instead of installing cameras across the entire Recreation Complex, specific fields could be specifically chosen, so if a baseball, football, soccer, etc. game was to be broadcast, it would need to take place on a particular field.
Recreation is one of the most volunteer active groups in the Borough, and a great number of residents coach, have kids that play Recreation sports, or even use the facilities - like the tennis courts, pickleball courts, playground, walking path, etc. It was requested that it be explored for cameras to be installed inside the Borough's Danny D'Elia building (which is used for Recreation Committee meetings) so the Committee's monthly meetings could be broadcast and/or recorded to be aired and put online for additional public transparency.
Additional research will need to be undertaken to ensure the right type of weatherproof cameras are purchased and installed, how to ensure decent audio quality is captured, and if the Police potentially want to partner onto the project so the cameras could serve a dual purpose as security cameras for the complex, but the seeds are there to create captivating programming to excite local residents and youth, out-of-town viewers who want to watch their children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews play recreation sports, and to also attract new volunteers to join the Television Committee to ensure that these sporting events are recorded.
