[Adopted 10-4-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-22]
This article embodies the policies and procedures which govern
recreation facility use and users in order to ensure proper care and
maintenance of athletic fields and other recreational facilities,
owned by the Township of Woolwich, and to assure fair and efficient
access to those facilities. The primary use of municipal recreation
areas and facilities is for public recreation and athletic activities.
Municipal facilities may be made available for such activities if
not in conflict with repair, rehabilitation or maintenance of the
fields or facility. Factors to be considered in determining permission
for use, as well as permission for type of use, are current capital
improvements or rehabilitation, regular maintenance, extent of wear
and tear to be caused by current or proposed use, coordination of
uses, efficient scheduling, location of facility, and availability
of services at a particular facility. All facility users shall comply
with all applicable federal, state and local laws; such user shall
pay all the costs, expenses, fines, penalties and damages which may
be imposed by the municipality by reason of, or arising out of, the
user's failure to fully and promptly comply with all legal requirements,
and observe all the provisions of this policy.
A.
The outdoor athletic fields and outdoor recreational facilities within
the Township of Woolwich are listed as follows:
(1)
Township recreation areas.
[Amended 2-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-01]
|
Location
|
Field/Facility
| |
|---|---|---|
|
Locke Avenue Park and High Hill Park
|
Baseball fields
| |
|
Athletic fields
| ||
|
Soccer fields
| ||
|
Basketball court
| ||
|
PMC property
|
Practice fields
| |
|
Tranquility Trail
|
Disc golf course
|
B.
This policy also applies to other fields/facilities not listed above,
now and in the future.
[Amended 3-19-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-02]
Permits for field/facility use are issued by category (and in
priority order) in which the organization or event is placed. Category
1 user/event has priority over Categories II, III and IV user/event.
A.
Category I permit use.
(1)
Swedesboro Woolwich Teams in established Leagues or Clubs. These
teams are independent organizations that have been established to
serve the recreational and/or athletic interest of the participants.
A minimum of 90% of the host team must be residents of Swedesboro
and/or Woolwich Township. Independent organizations that have used
the facility during a prior year shall have priority over an applicant
who has not used the facility in a prior year.
B.
Category II permit use.
(1)
Swedesboro/Woolwich-based organizations. These groups are made up
of residents of Swedesboro and/or Woolwich Township, or businesses
located in Swedesboro and/or Woolwich Township who request the use
of facilities on an occasional basis when space is available. A minimum
of 90% of the group must reside or work full-time in Swedesboro and/or
Woolwich Township.
C.
Category III permit use.
(1)
Organizations not affiliated with Swedesboro/Woolwich. These groups
are made up of persons consisting of a group that is less than 90%
of Swedesboro and/or Woolwich Township residents, or who do not work
full-time in Woolwich Township.
D.
Category IV permit use.
(1)
Camps and clinics. Camps and clinics attended by participants from Swedesboro/Woolwich (at least 90%) may use the fields free of charge if they do not charge a fee for attendance. Camps and clinics that charge a fee for attendance and those without 90% attendance from Swedesboro/Woolwich shall pay a fee as set forth at § 135-12. Camp and clinic applications will be reviewed and assessed based on availability as relative to rolling blackout dates. Additionally, requests must be made in accordance with the designated field use map.
E.
Category V tournaments. Organized tournaments conducted for a period
of time up to three days.
F.
Category VI use of pavilion. Swedesboro/Woolwich-based organizations.
A minimum of 90% of the group must reside or work full-time in Swedesboro
and/or Woolwich Township.
G.
Category VII use of pavilion (private). Private use of the pavilion
for birthday parties, private functions, and similar events.
A.
The fields/facilities use a schedule created by the Director of Municipal
Services that will establish the opening and closing dates for field/facilities
use, as well as the period of time affected by that schedule. The
schedule will serve as a permit for use of the facility named. Responsible
officials within the Township (police, emergency services, Public
Works Department, and others) will receive a copy of the fields/facilities
schedule.
[Amended 2-19-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-03]
B.
Communication is the key to efficient maximization of use of scarce
recreational facilities. Consistent with that goal, any assigned user
must notify the Director of Municipal Services or the Director's designee,
of expected nonuse of a particular facility, at a particular time.
Every effort should be made to do so at least seven calendar days
in advance. This nonuse policy does not apply to weather cancellations.
[Amended 2-19-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-03]
C.
Notes concerning scheduling.
(1)
Priority of assignment is made based upon the categories established
above. Priority is given within a particular sport's designated season.
In-season sports have equal status to each other; out-of-season sports
have equal status to each other. Recognizing that most sports have
some program on more than an in-season basis, consideration should
be made to accommodate the out-of-season sport's minimum necessary
allocation for games as a first priority and practices as a second
priority. Assignment of particular fields will be done with an effort
towards accommodating such use rather than simply on a preference
basis; efficient, coordinated use is the goal.
(2)
Game delays. Youth sports activities are often subject to delays
due to late-arriving opponents and/or officials, or emergencies. In
such cases, use may extend beyond the normal time. Likewise, overtime
and extra innings can require additional time. Other users take their
starting time subject to previous team's right to complete their games
and with the knowledge that termination of the activity is not solely
within the control of the representative. However, practices may not
delay the start of the next user session.
(3)
Field closings due to weather. Fields may be closed to all users
for an extended period time of more than one day by the Department
of Public Works and, at times, Director of Municipal Services. These
conditions include, but are not limited to, field under water, severe
damages that make it unsafe/unplayable, field reconstruction and the
need to rest fields. Information on field closings can be accessed
by the Director of Municipal Services. It is the responsibility of
league presidents and athletic directors to notify their coaches and
players. Destruction or damage done to any playing field due to use
in unsatisfactory conditions may be cause for forfeiture of permit
at the discretion of the Township of Woolwich.
[Amended 2-19-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-03]
A.
Athletic fields/facilities may not be used before 8:00 a.m. or after
dusk, except where lights are utilized. The Township has a 10:00 p.m.
lights-out time for all outdoor facilities. Practices and games should
be scheduled to end before this time with the lights to be turned
off as soon as the players and spectators leave the field.
B.
All trash must be placed in proper receptacles. Users are expected
to leave the facility in the same condition in which it was found,
or better.
C.
Warm-ups for the next scheduled event must be performed so as not
to interfere with existing events and so as not to endanger the welfare
of all participants, spectators and facilities.
D.
All managers, coaches, or persons in charge of a group using the
fields will be responsible for the conduct of all participants, spectators
and others connected with the activity, including visiting teams and
opponents.
E.
Picnics, birthday parties and other events.
[Amended 3-19-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-02]
[Amended 2-19-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-03]
Any proposed changes to fields or parks should be submitted
to the Director of Municipal Services to consider impact upon facility
use. Those requested changes, along with a recommendation, will then
be forwarded to the Woolwich Township Committee for consideration.
This would include the development of active recreation areas from
property not currently used for that purpose. It may include the installation
of fields, fences, structures, scoreboards, permanent stands and permanent
and temporary lighting. It would not include the replacement of any
current structure (an old backstop with a new one of roughly the same
size) or the repair or replacement of existing fencing. These types
of items will be the responsibility of the Township Committee. The
placement location of all movable items (portable bases, soccer goals,
batting cages, blocking sleds, temporary fencing, etc.) will be the
responsibility of the league, organization or club using the facility.
A.
Woolwich Township athletic and recreation fields permit costs are
as follows:
[Amended 9-21-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-17; 3-19-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-02]
(1)
Category I. $5 per participant, per team, per thirteen-week season
(cost includes practice and game scheduling). The Category I fee shall
be capped at 500 participants, such that the athletic league or club
shall remit $5 per participant up to and including 500 participants,
and no additional fee shall be due for participants in excess of 500.
(2)
Category II. Permit fees waived.
(3)
Category III. $10 per participant, per team, per thirteen-week season
(cost includes practice and game scheduling).
(4)
Category IV. 5% of gross revenue per camp/clinic for those groups
that charge participants a fee. For camps/clinics without 90% attendance
from Swedesboro/Woolwich that do not charge participants a fee, field
use will be subject to the fees set forth for Category V.
(5)
Category V. For the use of disc golf course for all or part of a
three-day period (Friday, Saturday and Sunday): $100. For the use
of one to three fields for all or part of a three-day period (Friday,
Saturday, Sunday): $900. For the use of four fields for all or part
of a three-day period (Friday, Saturday, Sunday): $1,400. For the
use of five fields for all or part of a three-day period (Friday,
Saturday, Sunday): $1,500. In addition to the above Category V fees,
$400 is required at time of application for DPW machine grooming of
baseball fields between games Grooming is limited to a maximum of
10 consecutive working hours per each day of tournament.
[Amended 2-7-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-01]
(6)
Category
VI. Swedesboro/Woolwich-based organizations. A minimum of 90% of the
group must reside or work full-time in Swedesboro and/or Woolwich
Township. No fee.
[Added 2-19-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-03]
(7)
Category
VII. Use of pavilion (private). Private use of the pavilion for birthday
parties, private functions, and similar events. No fee.
[Added 2-19-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-03]
B.
Collection of fees. Fifty percent of total fees are due upon submission
of field usage form, and the remaining 50% is due upon field usage
acceptance.
