Seymour Parks and Recreation Department is raising its fees for the public to rent parks facilities next year.
The costs to rent shelter houses, the community center and ball diamonds have not increased since 2008, said parks director Bob Tabeling.
Shelter house rentals for birthdays, showers, reunions or other private gatherings will go up to $40. That’s an increase of $15 from the current rental price of $25.
There are shelter houses at Gaiser Park, Shields Park, Kessler Park and Freeman Field Park.
People wanting to rent the downtown community center in 2019 will have to pay $50 more. Currently, the price is $50 with a $50 key deposit. That will increase to $100 with the deposit remaining the same. Local nonprofit organizations can rent the facility for $10.
Tabeling said the increase is a result of the cleaning required after events, especially birthday parties or other gatherings where people bring cake.
“Yes, we want the community center rented,” Tabeling said. “But when you have cake and there’s icing in the carpet, it becomes a problem.”
The community center is used often and is an asset to the city, but at some point, the carpet and the flooring in the kitchen will have to be replaced, Tabeling said.
“It takes a lot of wear and tear when you’re renting it out a lot,” he said.
Ball field rentals will increase by $30, going from $95 to $125 per field. Kasting Park will rent as a complex for $450, and Freeman Field will rent for $350. There also will be a charge for parks department labor during tournaments.
The Seymour Youth League will not have to pay rental fees.
The city’s park board approved the increases during a meeting Monday.
Tabeling said Seymour’s rental fees are much lower than surrounding communities, including North Vernon.
Another change is the city will no longer rent out picnic tables to the public in 2019. The parks department has offered the service for many years, delivering and picking up the tables as requested by residents.
The cost is $20 for seven tables.
“My concern continues to be the wear and tear on the picnic tables from loading them up and moving them,” Tabeling said. “They are getting rough.”
It would cost more than $100,000 to replace all of the city’s picnic tables at one time, he said.
He also said because the picnic tables are heavy, there is concern with employees’ safety while lifting and loading and unloading the tables.
There are only six or seven requests for picnic tables annually, Tabeling said. The city will continue to rent out its portable bleachers, however.
There are some city events where the picnic tables will continue to be used, such as the Seymour Oktoberfest, Seymour CityJam and Seymour Community Schools events, Tabeling said.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”At a glance” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Seymour Parks Department facility rental fees
Facility;2018;2019
Shelter houses;$25;$40
Community Center;$50;$100
Ball fields;$95;$125 (Kasting Park will rent as a complex for $450 and Freeman Field will rent for $350)
Picnic table rental will be discontinued
[sc:pullout-text-end]