Iron Horse Park

Sports 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 a 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 sports fields for all. “Recognized Organizations” receive higher priority for use and scheduling in exchange for the recreation service they provide to the community.

The 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 sports field use, will be re-directed into the care, maintenance, renovation and improvement of sports fields.

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 non-resident is classified as not residing within 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: Many factors determine the field use capacity, but they are most influenced by the total number of events, size and number of players, and environmental factors. The Park District will evaluate these factors when scheduling fields, with capacity defined as, “Maximum use without lowering the quality or safety of the playing surface.”
Determining 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 Sports Field Use Policy, the approved recognized organizations are as follows:

  • Centerville Wee Elk Football and Cheer Association
  • Centerville Baseball Softball League
  • Centerville Youth Lacrosse
  • Centerville Recreational Soccer
  • FC Dayton Soccer (Formerly Centerville United Soccer Association)

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.

All other groups, sports teams, and clubs will be considered “independent” for scheduling purposes.

Priority for scheduling field use:
  1. Recognized organizations
  2. Independent teams, clubs and groups with greater than or equal to 50% residents
  3. Independent teams, clubs and groups with less than 50% residents
  4. 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 sports fields will comply with the Park Board Pricing Policy. Regardless of the terms of this Policy, the decision to close a field 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 sports teams will be addressed by a separate agreement for cooperation and shared use between the Park District and Centerville City Schools.

The Park District shall maintain an implementation procedure and guidelines for the equitable evaluation of applicants for sports field use.

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

Pricing

Recognized organizations are not charged for their typical field use in recognition of the community service they provide and the cost savings to the general, tax-paying public. 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 field reserved. 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% resident participation:

minimum 2-hour block: $50
each additional or partial hour: $20

Independent with less than 50% resident participation and all others:

minimum 2-hour block: $75
each additional or partial hour: $25

Application and Continuation Process to Become a Recognized Organization

For a new organization to receive initial consideration, a vacancy in the sport/activity must exist or be imminent; the Park District must determine if the organization meets the residency requirement; and the Park District must determine if necessary field space is available to accommodate the organization.

All organizations, leagues, and independent teams requesting the use of fields and facilities must meet requirements 1-5. Items 6-8 pertain to recognized organizations only:

  1. Comply with all local, state, and federal laws and procedures relating the the administration of youth athletics.
  2. Support and abide by all CWPD rules, regulations, and policies.
  3. Require all coaches and parents to complete and acknowledge the following items:
    1. CWPD waiver
    2. Parent’s Code of Conduct form. Feel free to use this template from the National Alliance for Youth Sports if you do not have one. Conduct Template >
    3. CWPD AED Emergency Action Plan, which includes brief training videos for board members, coaches, and trainers on the use and location of AEDs in our parks.
    4. Lindsay’s Law requirements for coaches, parents/guardians, and youth athletes. Lindsay’s Law  |  Ohio Department of Health >
    5. Ohio’s Return to Play Law regarding concussion. Youth Concussions  |  Ohio Department of Health >
  4. Submit all paperwork – Agreement, waivers, CWPD-approved roster, and proof of insurance two weeks before the start of the season.
  5. Conduct annual criminal background checks for all coaches and Board members.
  6. Provide a statement from the IRS verifying non-profit status.
  7. Participate in a service project that benefits a CWPD park or facility. The project is to be coordinated with the CWPD. (CWPD recognized organizations only)
  8. Participate in a bi-annual meeting with the CWPD and other recognized organizations to discuss items of mutual concern. (CWPD recognized organizations only)

Once recognized organization status has been achieved, these requirements must be satisfied annually.

If a recognized organization does not fulfill the requirements annually, it must complete a 1-year probationary period and its scheduling status priority may be dropped. When the organization complies with the requirements during the probationary period, 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 status and will be required to re-start the application process.

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 December 10, 2024)

Contact information

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