UP City Council, YMCA Reach Fee Agreement

After about 45 minutes of discussion, the Park Cities YMCA and the University Park City Council worked out an agreement to renew their contract to open the city’s parks to YMCA youth sports.

HPISD trustee John Bunten spoke on behalf of the Park Cities YMCA during last night’s council meeting, and I was surprised to find out from him that 94.7 percent of University Park’s youth participate in YMCA sports like baseball, football, and basketball. With hundreds of kids and several teams, they’re all going to need a place to play. HPISD opens their facilities to the teams, but that’s not enough for the 8,597 players, or 3,314 University Park kids ages 5 to 13, enrolled in several Y sports programs.

Increased use, as Parks director Gerry Bradley pointed out, means maintenance costs have climbed, too. The UP City Council had initially asked for $18,000 the first year of use and then a 10 percent increase in fees each year until 2015. The two parties, however, were able to work out a modified fee structure.

By Joanna England Jul. 7, 2010 | 10:00 am | 7 Comments | Comments RSS
7 comments to "UP City Council, YMCA Reach Fee Agreement"
  1. James Tucker @ July 7, 2010 at 10:47 am
    I’m all for Use fees. Are use fees charged to organizations and adult teams that use the parks? I am specifically thinking of a couple of adult soccer teams that use Germany Park on the weekends to practice. Also there are churches that use Curtis Park for picnics. Some of these churches are not located in UP. Are Use fees for large groups like that common?

  2. PCMom @ July 7, 2010 at 1:20 pm
    JT – totally agree with you. I also am amazed at the number of teaching pro’s that use the tennis courts. We want to see our parks full – that is one of the charming things about living here – but the upkeep on all of it is something people don’t think about.

  3. James Tucker @ July 7, 2010 at 3:12 pm
    @PCMom, Tennis pros, soccer tutors at Coffee Park and also Boot Camps going on at Germany Park as well. I’m sure these are put on by for-profit outfits. I’d hate to see the Y being the only one who has the burden of a Use fee. Maybe we will get an answer from a public official.

  4. HP Guru @ July 7, 2010 at 5:34 pm
    If there is a fee to residents to use the pool (I assume to offset the cost to maintain and staff up) it only seems fair that non-residents should pay a fee to use our parks and facilities.

    I agree that it is not right for the non-profit YMCA to pat a fee to use our facilities and the for-profit or non-residents get to use them for free.

  5. UPNumber1Mom @ July 8, 2010 at 12:02 pm
    Anyone who reserves the parks pays fees, though I think it could be fairly debated as the amount of the fees relative to use and maintenance required. My husband plays soccer Saturday mornings at Germany Park as he has for many years. These are pick-up casual games by residents and friends, not leagues or teams, FYI.

  6. James Tucker @ July 8, 2010 at 12:16 pm
    Thanks UPNumber1Mom

  7. UPDAD @ September 21, 2010 at 9:49 am
    The YMCA should cut Athletes fees in half.. they are making hundred of thousands of dollars…start doing the math…

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