By Richard Kaufman
Parks & Recreation director, Joe Siciliano, went before the Board of Selectmen last week to propose the 2019 fee schedule for the town. If approved by the board, residents should see some incremental increases to various sports and camp programs and services, which would take effect on Jan. 1, 2019.
“Our goal here is to try and do incremental fee increases, and look at programs and look at what some of our competitors are doing within the market,” Siciliano told the board.
Increases include:
- Rental of tennis courts from $36 to $38
- Greenwich Adventurers Camp for residents, April-May 31:
- $410 increased to $465 for Session I; $375 increased to $400 for Session II
- After June 1, $460 increased to $525 for Session I; $425 increased to $460 for Session II
- Travel Team Field Rental: $450 per team in season increased to $475; $475 out of season increased to $500.
- A new $200 security deposit for those renting town buildings for events and serving alcohol
- Admission to enter the Dorothy Hamil Rink would increase from $6 to $7 for ages 5-15; $8 to $10 for ages 16-64; $8 to $10 for guests ages 65-plus/no proof of identity. For residents who are 65 -plus with proof, admission remains free.
- The town’s Playgroup Program:
- 3 days/week, additional 1/2 hour/day, 9 a.m., to 12 p.m.: $2,434.80 increased to $2,966.40.
- 4 days/week: $3,246.40 increased to $3,955.20
- 5 days/week: $4,058 increased to 4,944.
The price for a seasonal park pass for access to the Byram Pool, Greenwich beaches and parks will remain at $35, as will the guest pass fee of $7. The guest pass fee for the Byram Pool will remain at $8.
Siciliano noted that the Parks & Rec Department projects to bring in $5 million in revenue from user fees for 2019. This year, the Department brought in $4.9 million, and around $4.7 million in 2017. Siciliano noted the success of the newly opened Byram Pool this year, which opened in July.
In its 68 days of operation this year along with access to the beach, the pool averaged around 485 people per day, and even saw days of over 1,000 guests per day when it first opened. The town sold approximately 1,800 pool guest passes, of which 1,350 were used.
“Even though people were purchasing them, they may not have used them,” Siciliano said. “At the end of the day, it was a pretty successful program. It did have the effect we wanted it to.”
Tesei asked if unused pool guest passes would be honored in 2019, and Siciliano said it’s something the Department would have to address.
The Selectmen are looking for public feedback before approving the fee schedule at their Dec. 20 meeting. To see the entire fee schedule, click here.
