NORTON - An anonymous $50,000 donation will keep Norton's professionally run parks and recreation program - a victim of the budget-cutting ax - afloat for one more year.

The gift means "we'll be able to provide pretty much" the same services for the fiscal year starting July 1, recreation commission Chairman Don McNeil said Thursday.

In the meantime, the board and the Attleboro YMCA, which runs many of the town's recreation programs, are working on a long-term plan to make the department more self-sufficient, McNeil said.

The YMCA's three-year contract with the town was set to expire June 30.

With the town facing rising costs and falling revenue, voters at the May 12 annual town meeting allocated just $9,695 for recreation, among other painful budget decisions spread across several departments. That figure was $68,605 less than requested for the recreation line item. The management contract with the YMCA totaled more than $50,000, YMCA Associate Executive Director Danielle Sicard said.

The Y had agreed to continue running Norton's summer camp at Everett Leonard Park this summer through alternate funding procured by the recreation commission.

Now, thanks to the anonymous gift, the commission and Town Manager James Purcell are seeking proposals to coordinate recreation activities and finances, manage recreational facilities and provide staff for the program.

The deadline to receive proposals is 4 p.m. Tuesday in Purcell's office at town hall.

Sicard said the Y will apply, and McNeil said he welcomes the proposal.

"I think we're going to be hard pressed to find anyone else to provide the same services the YMCA has done for us at the same price," he said.

MICHAEL GELBWASSER can be reached at 508-236-0439 or at mgelbwasser@thesunchronicle.com.