By Richard Kaufman
On Jan. 29 , the Board of Selectmen approved the Parks & Recreation fee schedule for 2021 with a new wrinkle.
Annual park passes for adults (aged 16-64) will cost the same as last year at $35 if residents apply before April 15. After that date, though, the price goes up to $40.
The new change also applies to the Griffith E. Harris Golf Club. An adult membership card will cost $165, the same as last year, if it’s purchased before May 1. On or after that date, the fee is $185. For young adults (18-21), the price is $120 before, $140 after; seniors (65 and over) $110 before, $130 after; juniors (age 10-17) $75 before, $90 after.
Parks and Recreation Director, Joe Siciliano, hopes residents will take advantage and act earlier to secure passes. In year’s past, the Parks and Recreation system was inundated and clogged with applications around Memorial Day.
“What we’re trying to do is encourage people to do that before that period of time. We launched the park pass renewal applications [last Thursday]. You have all of February, March and April. Go online, validate your residency and get your park pass settled,” Siciliano said. “When we get into May, that’s when people really start to think about it. Last year, we do understand people were hesitant because they weren’t quite sure whether we were going to open the beach facilities. We will open them this year. We have protocols in place, and we’ll be modifying them as we go forward.”
Blaize Levitan, Assistant Director of Parks and Recreation, said the town can experience an influx of 5,000 applications a week around Memorial Day.
“That requires us to increase our temporary staffing. The goal here specifically is to reduce temporary staffing funding and need this year by just using our full time staff in an efficient manner to process the applications as they come in,” Levitan added.
The child accompaniment fee increased from $35 to $40 for 2021, and the annual child park pass (age 5-15) is $10, up $3 over last year.
The Field User Fee for in-season increased by $1 for 2021: $20 per user from a non-profit, and $22 per user from a for-profit. The out-of-season fee costs $22.
Fees for travel teams to use fields increased by $25, and will cost $500/team in-season, and $525/team out of season. Synthetic turf field rentals will cost $60/hr for-profit, and $45/hr non-profit.
Greens fees at the Griffith E. Harris Golf Club have increased by $2 from last year. For non-members or guests during off-peak hours and 18 holes, the fee will be $48, compared to $58 during peak hours. Off-peak for nine holes will be $38, peak is $48.
The Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the fee schedule, with the exception of the daily park pass, which cost $8 last year. This year, Parks and Recreation proposed a $9 fee, and that item was voted on separately.
Siciliano said the increase would help generate an additional $50,000 in revenue for the department. Oberlander said she was uncomfortable voting for the increase because it would be a burden on residents every time they bring a guest with them to town parks or beaches.
“I really would like to keep those fees as low as possible, particularly in a time of economic distress,” Oberlander said.
Siciliano said the department is trying to keep current with rising costs and what other towns are charging. Selectperson Lauren Rabin was hesitant to vote for the increase, but ultimately she decided to vote in-favor, with First Selectman Fred Camillo.
In the event that a resident cannot afford an annual park pass, the Parks and Recreation Department has a procedure in place with the Department of Human Services to make sure they can get access to parks and beaches free of charge.
“We do have some no-charge cards that we issue based on [a resident’s] financial status or hardship at the time. We have that all set up and ready to go,” Siciliano said.
He added that Parks and Recreation usually gives out about 1,000 no-charge cards annually.
Residents can go through the Department of Social Services, which will then get in touch with Parks and Recreation.
For more information, go to greenwichct.gov and the Parks and Recreation page.
