Westport’s sports landscape may soon change dramatically.
At least, the fee structure part of it could.
In a decision that seems to have escaped public notice, the Parks & Recreation Commission voted 5-0 last Wednesday in favor of a proposal to begin charging rental fees to youth and adult leagues, sports camps and others requesting exclusive use of field facilities.
The new charges — which apply to, among others, “Westport-based youth leagues, adult lacrosse league, adult flag football league, adult soccer league, and the adult baseball league”– would be imposed to cover field maintenance costs, Parks & Recreation Department director Jennifer Fava said in a March 15 memo to the Parks & Rec Commission.
The proposal now goes to the Board of Selectwomen, for approval. It has not yet been posted to their meeting agenda.
Those fees — which would begin “for the 2024 fall sports season or September 1” — will augment an increase in the department’s athletic field budget, to “provide additional resources for cultural practices to improve the quality of our playing surfaces.”
The fees for Westport-based groups are:
- Westport youth leagues: $25 per participant per season
- Baseball/softball fields: $75 per hour
- Baseball/softball fields with lights: $105 per hour
- Synthetic turf fields: $100 per hour
- Synthetic turf fields with lights: $130 per hour
- Grass fields: $50 per hour
- Grass fields with lights: $80 per hour.
The fees for all other non-Westport groups requesting the exclusive use of a field that includes field preparation are:
- Baseball/softball fields: $150 per hour
- Baseball/softball fields with lights: $180 per hour
- Synthetic turf fields: $150 per hour
- Synthetic turf fields with lights: $180 per hour
- Grass fields: $100 per hour
- Grass fields with lights: $130 per hour.
Fees could be imposed on youth and adult league users of Wakeman’s turf and grass fields — and other Parks & Recreation properties — beginning September 1.
(For more information, click here and scroll down to pages 14-17. Hat tip: Toni Simonetti)