Residents who wish to reserve a pavilion in a Tooele City park next year will, for the first time, pay a fee to do so.
At the recommendation of the city’s parks and recreation department, the Tooele City Council voted unanimously last week to pass the city’s first park pavilion reservation fee schedule. It will officially go into effect on Jan. 1, 2015.
Prior to the new schedule, the only pavilion residents had to pay to reserve was the covered pavilion at Tooele City Park near the Pratt Aquatic Center. But Brian Roth, director of parks and recreation for Tooele City, told members of the city council that the free reservations policy has created problems for Tooele City residents.
When one group is unsure exactly which pavilion it would like to reserve, or when it would like to reserve it, it occasionally block in time at any possible location or date, Roth said.
That prevents additional groups that would like to reserve the pavilion from doing so, he said, and leads to city amenities sitting unused when there are others who would gladly take advantage of them.
Roth said the fees would were not intended to generate revenue, but rather to encourage people to think carefully and make a more solid commitment when they decide to reserve a public pavilion in Tooele City.
Under the new fee schedule, residents will have the option of making a half- or full-day reservation at one of several city parks. Half-day reservations may be made for the morning, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., or for the afternoon, from 3-9 p.m.
The fee schedule divides parts into three tiers with different prices. Pavilion reservations at Rancho, Settlers, or Elton parks will cost $10 for a half-day reservation, or $15 for a full day reservation. Reservations at England Acres and Skyline Park will cost $15 per half day or $20 for a full day. Reservations at the Tooele City Park will cost $20 per half day or $30 for a full day.
All-day reservations at the Tooele City Park previously cost $27. Pavilion reservations are only available from April 15 to Oct. 15.