TITLE: Title
Resolution Supporting Community Use of School Facilities for Recreation
PURPOSE: The Board of Alderman review and adopt the resolution from the Intergovernmental Parks Work Group formalizing the intent of all parties to promote prudent and reasonable cost community use of schools for recreation purposes.
body
DEPARTMENT: Recreation and Parks Department
CONTACT INFORMATION: Anita Jones-McNair - 919-918-7381
INFORMATION: At various Intergovernmental Park Work Group meetings held in 2007 and 2008, the topic of school facilities being used for recreational purposes was discussed. As a result of those discussions, a set of guiding principles and recommendations were formulated and shared with elected boards for approval, (see attachment 3). This board approved the principles and recommendations on November 11, 2008. Since 2008, a subcommittee was developed to research the topic further. On December 11, 2013, the Intergovernmental Parks Work Group approved the attached resolution, which is the accumulation of several years of discussion on the topic of enhancing the ability of the greater community to access and use public school facilities for recreation purposes. While there is a history of local recreation programs using individual school facilities on an ad hoc or annual basis, there is no formal mechanism to provide for this use as a matter of policy for both local governments and the school systems. Across the state and the nation, many local governments and public school systems have worked together to make a vast array of public school recreation facilities available for community or public use when not in use by school activities. This concept has allowed many locales to avoid unnecessary duplication of facility construction. The principles approved in 2008 laid the foundation for the resolution that is attached and is commended here for your consideration. The resolution is also consistent in its intent with the recent modifications to facility use policies by both school systems. These modifications have helped to clarify and elaborate on opportunities for local recreation programs to use school playing fields or gymnasiums. The resolution notes the mutual benefits accrued to both schools and local governments by community use of school facilities in promoting healthy lifestyles, teamwork and cooperation, and other life skills, and that many of those who would benefit from greater community use of school facilities for recreation are students at these schools.
The Intergovernmental Parks Work Group request that each local government board and school board consider and adopt the attached resolution, to formalize the intent of all parties to promote prudent and reasonable cost community use of schools for recreation purposes, as outlined in the resolution.
FISCAL & STAFF IMPACT: No current fiscal and staff impact
RECOMMENDATION:r Staff recommends that the Board approve the attached resolution.