The Tulsa Park and Recreation Board approved nominal fee increases this week for some pools, rentals and day camps.
Parks Director Anna America said the city charges less than neighboring communities do in many cases.
"Gym, for example, where we saw other public places that are doing gyms, we were way below that. And the goal is that we’re not doing this to make money, but we do want to get closer to a cost recovery on some of those kinds of things," America said.
Pending city council approval, day camp fees will increase right away, while new pool rates will kick in with the start of swim season. Other fee increases will take effect at the start of the next fiscal year.
Changes are as follows:
- Whiteside day camp: was $125 a week, now $140
- Reed day camp: was $100 a week, now $120
- Hicks day camp: was $100 a week, now $120
- McClure pool admission: was $2 a person ages 4 and over, now $3
- Pool season pass: now $50 for all pools
- McClure pool group rate: new, $12 for six people
- Reed pools group rate: new, $4 for six people
- McClure pool 10-visit punch pass: was $18, now $24
- Large shelter rental: was $100 for four hours, now $110
- Small shelter rental: was $60 for four hours, now $70
- Hicks, Reed, Whiteside gym rental: now $50 an hour for full court, $25 for half court
- Hicks, Reed, Whiteside large room rental: now $35 an hour
- Hicks, Reed, Whiteside regular room rental: now $30 an hour
- Staff costs: now $30 an hour
The park board also approved hikes in pool rental fees. Two hours for a party will now run $200 at Whiteside, $250 at Reed or $400 at McClure, rather than $75 an hour.
Another change the board approved: non-residents will pay more for Tulsa park registration fees, membership fees and rentals. The surcharge will be roughly 25%, but actual fees will be rounded to the nearest $1 or $5 to simplify things.
"If you’re coming in from Broken Arrow to use our resources, you should be paying a little bit more because that person next to you in that class who lives in Tulsa is already paying through their property tax and their sales tax and everything else to support that program," America said.
The parks department is also initiating a complete review of their fees, which could lead to a tiered structure in the future.
"You know, trying to get that balance so that we’re making sure that everybody, no matter what their resources, has access to these good park services, but that entities where they should be paying a little bit more for those resources are and that taxpayers aren’t having to subsidize them," America said.
America expects a report on park fees in the fall.
