Title
Review and Approve Updated Athletic Facility Use and Allocation Policy
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Recreation and Park Commission
From: Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Re: Review and Approve Updated Athletic Facility Use and Allocation Policy
BACKGROUND
The Alameda Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) coordinates, allocates, and permits the use of all City athletic fields, AUSD swim centers, outdoor court facilities and the Alameda Point Gymnasium. The ARPD Athletic Facility Allocation Policy (Policy), Exhibit 1, provides the guidelines for how ARPD schedules these facilities.
On January 13, 2022, the Recreation and Parks Commission approved significant changes to the Policy.
Now that staff have worked with this new Policy for nearly one year, this update includes changes to provide greater clarity for organizations and address issues that staff have encountered.
DISCUSSION
Changes to the Policy include the following:
• Payments:
o Invoices must be paid within 30 days of receipt and if not paid, the organization will lose its priority level status for the next season.
• Application and scheduling
o If organizations do not meet the allocation deadline with all required paperwork then they will lose their priority level status for that application period and will be scheduled after all other requests.
o A more clear scheduling process is included and allows for all organizations to submit one comprehensive set of changes with any additional changes after the final permit is issued being subject to a change fee. Playoffs are not subject to the change fee.
• Multi-use fields are allocated based on the number of usable standard size fields, not per facility. Main Street, Rittler Park and Godfrey Park will be allocated as two fields. All other facilities are considered one field.
• A short winter season, for the synthetic turf field at Estuary Park only, was added to the Athletic Field Allocation Season.
• Tennis facility allocation was changed after further discussion with the USTA tennis teams that play in Alameda. Practice schedules are due thirty days in advance and game schedules are due after the USTA schedule is issued. When possible, one organization must submit one total schedule to ARPD.
• Field Closures:
o A field maintenance schedule was added that closes all grass fields for four months, generally from November to March and for two months, generally from May to June. The exact schedule will be issued prior to each allocation season.
o Detailed information was added for when fields and gym are closed for excessive heat or poor air quality.
• Information on Heat Illness - signs, symptoms and what to do - was added.
• Additional Rules and Regulations:
o Groups must lock gates after each use.
o Gym users may not put any tape or stickers on the gym floor and are responsible to ensure all participants - coaches, players and spectators from all teams - do not bring food, drinks or gum into the gym.
o Further information is included on safety requirements for gym games and tournaments.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact from approving this policy.
RECOMMENDATION
To review and approve the updated Athletic Facility Allocation Policy.
Respectfully submitted,
Amy Wooldridge, Recreation and Parks Director
Exhibits:
1. Athletic Facility Use and Allocation Policy