Sport Field Use Policy

Purpose and Background

This policy is intended to guide the Park District in decision-making with regards to sport fields within your parks. Further, the policy protects Centerville and Washington Township taxpayers with a fair and equitable system to require nonresident participants of sport teams and organizations to pay a nominal fee towards the care and maintenance of the fields.

The policy recognizes the symbiotic relationship between the community’s youth sport organizations and the Park District. These non-profit organizations provide a valuable community recreation opportunity with mostly volunteer workforce. By doing so, the organizations alleviate the need for residents’ taxes to be channeled to the administration of youth sports. The community as a whole contributes tax revenues to build and maintain sport fields for all. “Recognized Organizations” receive higher priority for use and scheduling in exchange for the recreation service they provide to the community.

Use of all fields will be influenced and guided by the Park Board’s commitment to maintaining a high standard of playability and safety.

It is the intent of the policy, that revenues collected from any fees charged for sport field use, will be re-directed into the care, maintenance, renovation and improvement of sport fields.

This policy will be reviewed for amendment or modification no less frequently than every three years after its initial adoption.

Definitions

Resident: A resident is classified as residing inside the Centerville-Washington Township Park boundaries, or within the Centerville City School District boundaries.
Non- Resident: A participant not residing inside the Centerville-Washington Park District boundaries.
Recognized Organization: A CWPD youth sports partner that meets an overall residency rate of 65% or greater and the criteria listed at the bottom of this page.
Independent Teams/Clubs/Groups: Those who do not meet an overall 65% resident rate, or choose not to meet the criteria listed at the bottom of the page.
Field Use Capacity: Fields may be used up to their capacity, with capacity defined as, “Maximum use without lowering the quality or safety of the playing surface.”
Park Administration: Centerville-Washington Park District

Priority Use and Scheduling

Only one recognized organization will be designated and approved per sport (recreational soccer, competitive soccer, youth lacrosse, etc.). If scheduling conflicts arise among the recognized organizations, priority will be given to the group with the highest Centerville/Washington Township residency percentage.

At the time of Park Board approval of the Sport Field Use Policy, the approved recognized organizations are as follows:

Centerville Wee Elk Football Association (recreational football)
Centerville Baseball Softball League (recreational and competitive baseball)
Centerville Youth Lacrosse (recreational and competitive lacrosse)
Centerville Recreational Soccer (recreational soccer)
Centerville United Soccer Association (competitive soccer)

While the listed groups maintain their recognized organization status, other groups of the same or similar purpose will not be eligible for recognized organization status. Conversely, should a recognized organization lose its status, another group with the same or similar purpose may be evaluated for recognized organization status.

If groups, sport teams, clubs and the like do not wish to apply for recognized organization status, they shall be considered “independent” for the purpose of scheduling sport fields.

Priority for scheduling field use:

Recognized organizations
Independent teams, clubs and groups with greater than or equal to 50% residents
Independent teams, clubs and groups with less than 50% residents
All other organizations, including groups unwilling to verify resident make-up

Implementation

The Park Board reserves the right to review and alter the fees at any time and at all times the fees associated with group use of sport fields will be in compliance with the Park Board Pricing Policy. Regardless of the terms of this Policy, decision to close a field to due to weather, soil or turf conditions rests solely with the Park District.

Relating specifically to recognized organizations, non-resident fees will not be applied to high school age participants when OHSAA rules apply, limiting the number of players from Centerville High School on a team.

Use of fields by Centerville City Schools sport teams will be addressed by a separate agreement for cooperation and shared use between the Park District and Centerville City Schools.

The Park Administration shall maintain an implementation procedure and guidelines for the equitable evaluation of applicants for Sport Field use.

Youth service groups may apply for the designation of “recognized organization” and may receive designation when all criteria are satisfied.

Pricing

In recognition of the community service they provide, and the cost-savings to the general, tax-paying public, Recognized Organizations are not charged for their typical field use. These organizations only contribute a nominal equity fee from nonresidents to balance the financial contribution of CWPD taxpayers.

Independent groups will be required to pay for each and every reserved field use. This per-occurrence fee includes a nonresident assumption.

Fee schedule

Recognized organization:

minimum 2-hour block: free
each additional or partial hour: free
nonresident: $10 per participant per season (not assessed for coaches, leaders, group volunteers or staff)

Independent with greater than or equal to 50% residents:

minimum 2-hour block: $40
each additional or partial hour: $15

Independent with less than 50% residents:

minimum 2-hour block: $60
each additional or partial hour: $20

Application Process to Become a Recognized Organization

In order for a new organization to receive initial consideration, the Centerville-Washington Park District must determine if necessary field space is available to accommodate the organization, and a vacancy in the sport/activity must exist or be imminent.

New organizations seeking Recognized Organization status must complete the requirements below in their first year of scheduled field use.

Support and abide by all CWPD rules, regulations, and policies.
Submit all paperwork – agreement, waivers, CWPD approved rosters, proof of insurance by deadline set by CWPD.
Conduct annual criminal background checks for all coaches and Board members. Verification submitted to CWPD.
Require all parents to complete and submit a Parent’s Code of Conduct form.
Provide documentation to verify non-profit status.
Participate in a volunteer service project in a park to be coordinated with the CWPD.
Participate in a bi-annual meeting with the CWPD and other recognized organizations to discuss items of mutual concern.

Once recognized organization status has been achieved, these requirements must be satisfied annually by the deadline determined by Park Administration.

If a current Recognized Organization does not fulfill the requirements annually, it must complete a 1-year probationary period and their scheduling status priority may be dropped. When the organization complies with the above requirements, it will be reinstated to Recognized Organization status. If the current Recognized Organization does not meet the requirements during the 1-year probationary period, it will lose its Recognized Organization status and will be required to start the application process over.

This policy will be reviewed for amendment or modification no less frequently than every three years after its initial adoption. (Adopted July 13, 2016, Revised August 13, 2018)

Contact information

For more information on reserving fields, please contact Jason Beavon (athletic supervisor) at 937-433-5155 or jbeavon@cwpd.org.