HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 507 CON - Community Use of School Facilities
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PROCEDURE PR.507.CON
TITLE: COMMUNITY USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES
Date issued: 12 March 1998
Last revised: 10 June 1998
Authorization: Senior Staff: 14 January 1998
1.0 OBJECTIVE
1.1 To provide procedures for the community’s use of indoor and outdoor school facilities,
particularly with respect to:
a) the use of Board facilities and resources by community groups;
b) user fees for community groups.
2.0 RESPONSIBILITY
Superintendent of Schools with responsibility for Continuing Education
3.0 PROCEDURES
3.1 General
School buildings and grounds are reserved for school use during weekdays until 6:00
p.m. and during the additional times included in the annual sc hedule submitted by the
school. Unforeseen school activities not included in the annual schedule, for example
playoff games or night meetings, will be accommodated subject to previous
commitments made to other users.
School buildings and grounds will be made available to the general public within the
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board's area of jurisdiction, subject to the regulations
and conditions set out in the sections which follow.
3.2 User Groups And Rental Categories
a) Events which serve Board-sponsored groups and programs will not be charged
for use of school facilities when a permit is obtained. Examples of Board -
sponsored groups are:
(i) small school groups accompanied by an Ottawa-Carleton District School
Board staff member, for school activities, including school council
meetings or activities;
(ii) Continuing Education programs and Board activities;
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(iii) Lighthouse programs operating under the approval of the Board, the
school principal, and the Lighthouse Community Council.
b) Events for which a permit has been obtained and which serve the groups of
Ottawa-Carleton District School Board ratepayers listed below will not be subject
to a user charge for school facilities, with the exception of events requiring the
school to be staffed on weeknights after the specific school's normal closing hour
(that is, at times for which custodial staff is not regularly assigned) or any time on
Saturdays, Sundays, or during school breaks and holidays, at which time these
permit holders will be charged according to the Community Use of Schools
(CUS) Fee Schedule. The priority for bookings is as follows:
(i) formally advertised and recognized municipal aprks and recreation
programs where the program is directly under the control and authority of
the municipality;
(ii) municipally sponsored programs at schools where a formal reciprocal
agreement is in place.
c) Community youth groups will be charged one dollar per hour of use or a
minimum $30.00 permit for use during week nights. See the community Use of
Schools Fee Schedule for details.
d) All other requests for use of facilities will be considered after the above-noted
requests, and the requesting groups will be charged user fees if accommodated.
3.3 Cost Recovery
For any non-Board-sponsored event charging admission or a membership fee, or at
which a collection is taken for community, club or charitable purposes and not for
personal gain of the permit holder, a fee will be charged in accordance with the
Community Use of Schools Fee Schedule in order to cover costs. Cost recovery
includes the labour cost for opening and closing the school, coverage during the event
and clean-up after the event; administrative costs; normal wear and tear; as well as
energy and consumable and supply costs. Some examples of events in this category
are:
a) local fundraising events such as bazaars and fairs;
b) religious services;
c) multicultural festivals;
d) local community theatre productions;
e) community association-sponsored classes and courses for which there is a
charge to attend
3.4 School Scheduling
a) All elementary and secondary school principals and Continuing Education
administrators will prepare an annual schedule, complete with dates and times,
of the facilities which will be used by the school and the Continuing Education
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program during the upcoming school year, after 6:00 p.m. for elementary schools
and secondary schools, and on weekends and holidays. The schedules must be
submitted to the Community Use of Schools Office by 1 June. Adjustments to
the schedule can be made at the beginning of the school year up to 15
September.
b) The hours from after-school until 6:00 p.m. are for school activities only. If the
school principal chooses to permit non -school users access to facilities after
classes to 6:00 p.m., a separate permit must be issued to that user by the
Community Use of Schools Office. For use outside normal school hours, users
must be issued a permit from the CUS Office in order to co-ordinate use.
c) School requests for the use of school facilities on nights other than those
included on the annual schedule must be referred to the Community Use of
Schools Office for consideration. Unforeseen school activities not included in the
annual schedule, for example playoff games or special parents' night meetings,
will be accommodated subject to previous commitments made based on the
scheduled availability of facilities.
d) Gymnasium use for examination dates must be booked by the schools on their
annual schedule. Failing this, the gym facility will be booked for use by the
community.
e) Inter- and intra-scholastic events after 6.00 p.m. should be included on the
annual schedule. Requests for these events after the annual booking will be
accommodated only if the date is available and not booked to another user, or
with the approval of the principal with responsibility for the Community Use of
Schools Office.
3.5 Cancellations And Amendments
a) All permit holders who are charged user fees will be charged $25.00 for
cancellations.
b) Permit holders who have "block-booked" space can be cancelled if two
consecutive dates are missed.
c) Permits of permit holders who have "block-booked" space can be cancelled if two
consecutive dates are missed.
d) A $25.00 fee will be applied to all amendments to permits eligible for user fees.
3.6 Available Resources
a) Prior approval from the principal is required for any access to the offices,
classrooms, specialty rooms and staff rooms when school staff is unavailable to
supervise. School principals should inform Community Services staff about any
areas of their school which they feel may be particularly sensitive to community
use.
b) Non-consumable capital equipment (for example, basketball hoops, score clock)
may be made available to the users, subject to the school principal's approval.
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Equipment such as balls and nets can be made available through cost -sharing
arrangement with school.
c) Other supplies and equipment may also be available with the principal's
approval. A qualified technician must be present when the school's multi -media
equipment is used, and a charge will apply. Where no multi -media technician is
available, such use is subject to the principal's approval. (Refer also to
AUDITORIUMS).
3.7 Games Of Chance
a) Games of chance will be permitted on school premises in accordance with
prevailing laws when all necessary licences have been first obtained by the
permit holder.
3.8 Activities With Large Attendance
a) Licensed security must be engaged by the lessee for at a ratio of 150:1 and proof
same must be submitted 30 working days prior to the event. A refundable
security fee will also be required 30 working days prior to the event.
School/school council activities are exempted with adequate supervision. An
additional charge for custodial staffing may be required at some locations.
3.9 Smoking
a) Smoking is prohibited on all Board property.
3.10 Consumption Of Alcohol
a) Consumption of alcohol is allowed on Board premises provided the permit holder
agrees to abide by the Board's “Special Occasion Permit Policy and Guidelines”
which have been developed to promote responsible, moderate drinking practices,
reduce the possibility of injury and harm to persons and property, and assist in
minimizing both the Board's and the permit holder’s legal liability.
3.11 Responsibility For Damages
a) With the exception of reasonable wear and tear, permit holders will be held
responsible for any damages to the premises and/or equipment which, in the
opinion of the Board, result from the use of facilities. For events of 250 people or
more, a refundable bond of $500.00 may be required.
3.12 Hours Of Availability
a) Hours of availability are dependent on the scheduling of custodial staf f. Some
schools may not be staffed as late in the evening as other schools due to
reduced custodial coverage.
b) Regular school days: Use of school buildings may commence prior to 6:00 p.m.
at elementary and secondary schools only with the approval of the s chool
principal. A permit must be issued by the Community Use of Schools Office to
cover this time.
c) Weekend Use:
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(i) Saturday: not earlier than 8:00 a.m. and not later than 11:00 p.m.
(ii) Sunday: Community groups may use school buildings between 10:00 a.m.
and 4:00 p.m. Church services may be scheduled prior to 10:00 a.m.
Church services will have priority, and community activities will not be
scheduled in the same facility at the same time.
d) School Breaks and statutory holidays
(i) Schools will not be available during school and statutory holidays, except
by special arrangement.
(ii) Schools will not be available for community use during the two weeks prior
to the opening of school in September.
3.13 Fee Schedule Application
a) A fee will apply to all auditorium, cafeteria, gym, lecture hall, specialty rooms and
classroom use, as per the current User Fee Schedule. Where a municipal
reciprocal agreement is in effect, or when the use is for ongoing children's or
youth programs, for example Brownies, Cubs, youth soccer or basketball, fees
will apply after school closing hour, during school breaks and holidays, and on
weekends as indicated in the current User Fee Schedule. Youth programming is
defined as programming for young people under the age of 18. Where there is a
mixture of adults and youth in an activity, adult rates will apply.
b) A fee will apply to all use of schools by non-Board-sponsored groups for school
breaks and summer programs, as per the current User Fee Schedule.
c) Commercial rates will apply to all events that are designed to yield a profit to
individuals or groups of individuals for their personal or corporate gain.
Examples of events in this category are:
(i) businesses or social events organized by commercial enterprises,
including:
(A) promotional meetings to introduce new products;
(B) trade shows;
(C) investment seminars.
3.14 Lighthouse Programs
a) Lighthouse Programs must book facilities through the Community Use of Schools
Office. Activities taking place prior to 6:00 p.m. may be booked on the school's
annual schedule.
b) Lighthouse Programs operating under the approval of the school principal, the
Board, and the Lighthouse Community Council are part of the Board’s operation.
However, it is the responsibility of any group or individual using Board facilities to
provide supervision, and if damages related to the activity occur, the group or
individual must bear the responsibility for the necessary repairs.
c) The Lighthouse Community Council is responsible for providing adequate
supervision. Damage to the school or furniture or equipment will result in the
cancellation of the permit. Liaison Officers must keep a record of the damages
and the cause or circumstances involved.
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d) Where vandalism, theft, damage or loss occurs during fund -raising events
sponsored by the Lighthouse Community School Council, the Council is
responsible and must reimburse the Board.
3.15 Outdoor Playing Areas
a) Outdoor playing areas must be booked with agreement of the Community Use of
Schools Office for use after school hours, on holidays, or on weekends when the
field is not being used for school purposes. The school principal's approval is
required for use of these facilities prior to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays.
b) Depending on their nature, the frequency of activities ma y be limited in order to
protect grassed areas.
c) All requests for markings must be received at least 72 hours before the event.
Each request will be judged on its own merit. If such requests are granted, the
work may be done either by Board staff or by t he user group, however it is
preferable that the work be done by the Board with the cost charged back to the
user group.
d) Each user group will be held responsible for the payment of repairs to, or the
replacement of, any facilities necessitated by the harmful acts of its group or of
individuals within the group.
e) Permission from the Board is required before any structures may be erected on
Board property. The Community Use of Schools Office should be contacted to
request such permission.
4.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
Board Policy P.012.CON: Community Use of School Facilities
Board Policy P.033.SCO: Smoking on Board Premises
Board Policy P.060.FIN: Vandalism, Theft, Damage or Loss
Board Procedure PR.522.SCO: Smoking on Board Premises
Board Procedure PR.552.FIN: Vandalism, Theft, Damage or Loss