Chapter 150: Parks and Recreation

[Added 6-1-1992]

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meaning indicated:

Includes all parks, squares, boulevards, and areas of land within the management of the Parks and Recreation Department and all buildings, structures, improvements, seats, benches, fountains, boats, floats, walks, drives, roads, trees, plants, herbage, flowers, and other things thereon, and enclosures of the same; all shade trees on streets or thoroughfares, resting places, watering stations, playgrounds, other than school grounds, owned, leased or operated by the City, parade grounds or the like; all connecting parkways and roads or drives between parks; all avenues, roads, ways, drives, and walks, with all trees, shrubbery, vines, flowers and ornaments of any description, and all birds, animals, curiosities or objects of interest or instruction and all tools and implements placed in or on any of such enclosures, ways, parkways, roads or places; and such including term shall be liberally construed.

§ 150-2 Rules for use of facilities.

[Amended 9-15-1980; 9-16-1985; 2-15-1986; 5-5-1986; 12-15-1986; 6-1-1992]

Rules for parks, recreational facilities and municipally owned property are the following:

(1)

Use of facilities at own risk. The City of Meriden and the Parks and Recreation Department and their employees or volunteers assume no responsibility for lost or stolen property, personal injuries or property damage. All persons using facilities of the City of Meriden shall do so at their own risk.

(2)

Disturbing or injuring animals and fowl; limitations on fishing. No person shall disturb or injure any bird, bird's nest or eggs or any other animal in said municipality, or disturb or injure any animal wildlife within said City, or fish in its waters except waters designated for such purpose.

(a)

Fishing at Mirror Lake is limited to individuals aged 15 and under and adults if accompanied by a fishing minor as long as the adult has the proper license.

[Amended 6-19-2000]

(b)

Fishing at Giuffrida Park (Crescent Lake) is by special license only, purchased from the Parks and Recreation Department.

(3)

Designation of areas for special events; permit required. The Director of the Parks and Recreation Department may designate areas for special events and schedule their use through the issuance of permits that must be obtained in advance. Anyone violating this rule will be subject to arrest or suspension of park and recreational privileges.

(4)

Solicitation and admission charges by users of facilities; permit required. No person, group or organization shall expose or offer for sale any article or thing in parks and recreational facilities or charge admission in any park or recreational facility or portion thereof without written permission of the Director of Parks and Recreation. If granted, the Director of Parks and Recreation will determine the amount to be assessed the group, person or organization for the use of the grounds and/or facilities.

(5)

Ballplaying limited to designated areas; permit required for tents, shelters or signs. Ballplaying or golfing practice is allowed only in designated areas at all parks. No tents, shelters or signs of any nature are allowed to be erected on any City property or recreational facility without the written permission of the Director of Parks and Recreation.

(6)

Opening and closing hours; exceptions. All parks and watershed areas will open at sunrise. All parks and watershed areas will be considered closed 1/2 hour after sundown, with the exception of designated camping areas in the parks or where activities authorized by the Parks and Recreation Department are being held, such as (but not limited to) tennis, softball, baseball and special events. The Department of Parks and Recreation may close or restrict the hours of any park or facility without notice.

(7)

Parking. Parking shall be limited to designated areas only. Parking off paved or graveled areas is not permitted except by expressed written consent of the Director of Parks and Recreation.

(8)

Injury to public property; monetary liability. No person shall move, remove, cut, write upon, deface or otherwise injure any structure, building, fence, fountain, seat or picnic table, shrub, tree or flower within any municipally owned property. Any person violating this rule will be held monetarily responsible.

(9)

Animals in parks. All dogs in the parks shall be on a leash, and owners will be responsible for "curbing their dog" (animal) in actively maintained areas. No horses or any animal/pet shall be allowed in any park during a special event sponsored by the City of Meriden without the expressed written permission of the Director of Parks and Recreation. All dogs or other animals must be curbed in all parks and public areas. Owners will be subject to arrest.

(10)

Intoxicating beverages. Absolutely no intoxicating beverages will be allowed in any park or recreational facility, except with the written permission of the Director of Parks and Recreation.

(11)

Games of chance. It shall be unlawful for any person to play any games of chance or have any instrument of gambling in any park or recreational facility, except for carnivals and circuses with the written permission of the Director of Parks and Recreation and Chief of Police.

(12)

Traffic patterns; speed limit; prohibition of commercial vehicles and buses. The Director of Parks and Recreation will have the authority to regulate traffic patterns and flow, to include road closings, on all park property. The speed limit in all parks shall not exceed 15 miles per hour. Absolutely no commercial vehicles or buses will be allowed on any park property without the written permission of the Director of Parks and Recreation.

(13)

Motorized vehicles, such as (but not limited to) motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, four-wheel-drive vehicles, dirt bikes, etc., prohibited; exception. No motorized vehicles will be permitted on municipally owned property off paved areas except for official City of Meriden personnel or when authorized in writing by the Director of Parks and Recreation.

(14)

Washing or polishing vehicle: No washing or polishing of any vehicle is permitted in any park or watershed area.

(15)

No person shall hunt, trap, or pursue wildlife at any time, and no person shall use, carry, or possess firearms, air rifles, spring guns, bow and arrows, slings, or any kind of trapping device, or any other weapons potentially inimical to wildlife and dangerous to human safety.

(16)

Fires. Fires are allowed only in provided fireplaces or portable grills in designated camping or picnic areas.

(17)

Boating. Boating is restricted to use of canoes and sunfish-type sailboats and shall be by permit only, except upon Hanover Pond and Beaver Lake. There shall be no boating of any type on Mirror Lake except with the written permission of the Director of Parks and Recreation.

(18)

Overnight camping. No overnight camping is allowed except by written permission of the Parks and Recreation Department.

(19)

Fishing permits are required of persons 16 or over.

(20)

Limitation on use of certain parks. Hubbard Park, on weekends and holidays, is limited to Meriden residents only.

(21)

Hang gliding. The ascension and landing of hang gliders in the City of Meriden is hereby prohibited.

(22)

Dirigibles; balloons. The ascension and landing of lighter-than-air dirigibles and balloons in the City of Meriden are hereby prohibited unless a permit has been issued by the Director of Parks and Recreation.

(23)

There will be no dumping of domestic garbage in City parks. Violators will be arrested. A carry-in-carry-out policy will be enforced.

(24)

Other specific rules governing each park shall be enforced where officially posted.

(25)

No person shall dig, remove, or cut any sand, soil, rock, stones, trees, shrubs, turf, grass, plants, or down timber or other wood or materials or make any excavation by tools, equipment or other means (including metal detectors) without the expressed written permission of the Director of Parks and Recreation.

(26)

All rock climbing is prohibited in any park area except with the written consent of the Director of Parks and Recreation and appropriate insurance waiver.

Enforcement.

(1)

The City of Meriden Police Department shall enforce all regulations with assistance of City personnel and private security when applicable.

(2)

Any person violating any provision of this chapter shall be subject to a fine, in addition to other remedies, of $50 to $90 for each violation.

[Amended 9-16-1996]

Any and all fines and fees due to the arrest for violations of these rules and regulations or other park regulations shall be deposited into City of Meriden Parks and Recreation Capital and Nonrecurring Account held by a financial institution to repair/replace park damage and vandalism.

A violation of any of the above rules or regulations, in addition to the penalty provided in said rule or regulation, or in the Connecticut General Statutes, can result in a fine of up to $100 for each offense as well as payment to rectify any damage sustained to any park property.