Mayor wants June 25 to be Kid's Day City services could be free for youngsters, he suggests By Ray Barrington News-Chronicle We just celebrated Mother's Day, and Father's Day is coming up. But, as any disappointed child can tell you, there's no Kid's Day. Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt wants to change that, at least in the area he oversees. He suggested - and the Park Committee will recommend to the City Council - that June 25 be declared Kid's Day in Green Bay. Schmitt, who said his family celebrated a day at home, had some suggestions. "All kids could ride the bus for free that day," he said. "They could use the pools for free. We probably wouldn't have unlimited free rides at Bay Beach (Amusement Park), but we could give out free tickets." He said the day, "in appreciation for the children of the community," would let kids see what services the city offers. "They may come back and use them the rest of the summer," he said. Green Bay Park and Recreation Department staff will look at possible ways to get children involved. Schmitt said he'd like to see corporate contributions, but set one rule: they had to be free. "I don't want to see something like 50 cents off a $2 hamburger," he said. "That's not what it's about. I don't want to see it as a marketing ploy." City children might get a wristband or a card to participate in events, parks director Bill Landvatter suggested. - The committee voted to recommend the re-establishment of a small soccer field at Colburn Park as a practice field and for rain days. One youth soccer coach told the committee there were 1,200 kids in West Side programs alone and facilities had been stretched to the limit. But Mike Beronja, who lives near the park, suggested the problem was one of time, not of space. He suggested games during the summer, when children are out of school, be held earlier in the day to relieve field congestion. When another person said the later games were needed to allow adults to coach and supervise games, Beronja said "then this is for the adults, not for the kids." "People have to work," retorted Gary Fairchild. "It's ridiculous to schedule games at 2 in the afternoon." The city is in the process of reviewing soccer-field capacity and looking for a spot for a soccer complex.