Summer recreation begins this week in Selma, with playground and swimming pool openings, tennis lessons and basketball leagues.

For older Selma residents, however, the most important opening will be Monday’s first session at the East Selma Fish Pond on Plant Street. The senior session for anglers 55 years old and older will be from 7-11 a.m.

Selma Parks and Recreation Director Elton Reece said the pond provides an activity for the elder segment of the city’s population.

“This gives the senior citizens and older folks something they can do during the summer,” he said. “A lot of times we don’t have a lot of things for them to do.”

Reece said 2,000 pounds of new catfish had been stocked in the pond, creating about 3,000 pounds of total fish that can be caught.

“We had some catfish that were donated because some restaurants said they had ‘a bad taste’ and weren’t restaurant quality,” Reece said. “Most of those catfish were between 5 and 10 pounds each.”

Reece said he expected to have at least as many senior anglers — 225 — as last year’s opening day.

All ages can fish the pond from 3-7 p.m. Thursdays and 7-11 a.m. Saturdays until the pond closes June 30. Each angler must have an Alabama fishing license, and senior anglers may be asked to present proof of age.

The limit for each day of fishing per person is five catfish, 25 bream and three bass.

Playgrounds

A director will be at the seven playgrounds 8 a.m.-noon Monday-Friday.

The playgrounds that will be open are Byrd, Payne, Youth Development Center, Sophia P. Kingston, Clark, Edgewood and Meadowview.

Swimming

William H. Dinkins will open Monday with an admission charge of 50 centers per person each session. Each session will run from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-6 p.m. Monday-Friday.

The pool is open to the public except when lessons are being conducted.

Swimming lessons will be taught by certified American Red Cross Water Safety Instructors. The first session will be Tuesdays and Thursdays June 8-July 17.

Class times will be 10:15-10:45 a.m. for ages 3-5, 9:30-10:15 a.m. for ages 6-12, and 9-9:30 a.m. for ages 13 and older.

Registration will be at 9 a.m.-noon Wednesday-Friday at Dinkins Pool. There is no charge for the lessons, but registration is limited.

Tennis lessons

Registration and lessons will be Monday at the tennis courts behind Memorial Stadium on Dallas Avenue. Bernard Sewell and Letoya Sullivan will be the instructors.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, the lesson schedules are 6:30-7:30 p.m. for ages 6-12, 7:30-8:30 p.m. for ages 13-17, and 8-9 p.m. for ages 18 and older. On Saturdays, the schedule is 8-10 a.m. for all ages.

The sessions will be:

Session I: June 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 13.

Session II: June 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27.

Session III: July 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18.

Session IV: July 20, 22, 25, 27, 29.

Cap League

Registration for Cap League’s 4-year-olds will be 9 a.m. Wednesday-Friday at the Softball Complex.

Practices will be 9 a.m. June 8-9 and 11. The game and practice schedule will be handed out June 11.

Each child will need a glove, a cap and any type of athletic shoes. Parents are encouraged to help with practices and games, but Recreation Department personnel are in charge.

The league season will end July 24.

Basketball leagues

Basketball leagues for players 12 years old and under will be held at the School of Discovery and Selma High School.

At School of Discovery, coaches Ivery Williams and Tommy Tisdale will be the instructors. The sessions will be from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

At Selma High School, coaches Herman Turner and Patrick Evans will be the instructors. The session times will be announced later.

For more information about any of the programs, call the Recreation Department at 874-2140 or 874-2141.