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SALEM -- The parks commission reviewed its rental prices for the 2027 season in its July meeting.
Parks Director Kelli Pastore said that most of the department's rentals were slated to remain unchanged, but that updates were being proposed to some fees to meet rising expenses associated with those facilities ahead of the city council's upcoming review of the city fee schedule.
The previous flat rate for pool rentals is being replaced with a tiered system based on the number of people expected to attend the event to more accurately reflect the cost of chemicals required to treat the pool after being used by large groups. The cost for an event with 50 or fewer people will be $150, which will increase to $200 for events with 51 to 100 attendees, and $250 for events with 101 to 180 people.
The cost for baseball and softball field rentals will also be split into separate fees for weekday and weekend uses of $50 and $100, respectively, to reflect overtime costs associated with preparing the fields. The soccer and flag football field rentals will follow suit with a weekday rate of $65, and a weekend rate of $100.
Boat rentals at the city lake are also shifting from an hourly rate to flat rates for a half day of $25 for residents and $50 for non-residents, and for a full day of $40 for residents and $80 for non-residents. There will also be a new large space rental fee for special events of $200, plus an additional $100 fee for electrical assistance and trash disposal.
Pastore told the commissioners that she had been contacted by the Columbiana County Suicide Prevention Coalition about installing a wind phone at Waterworth Memorial Park. Pastore said that the installations offer people a space to help process the loss of a loved one and are being installed around the county with other locations set to include Columbiana and East Palestine. She said that the proposed location for the wind phone was in the large grassy area off the nature trail to provide privacy while remaining easily accessible, and that it would come at no cost to the parks department.
"It kind of looks like a telephone booth that you put somewhere that's quiet, where it's accessible to people, but people aren't going to be right on top of it. If someone's loved one passes away, they can go and talk on this phone to the person, and the wind carries the message to them," Pastore said. "It would be therapeutic for people who've experienced suicide in their family or just a loss in general. They could go and say whatever they have to say to their loved one without a bunch of people listening. I think it's a nice thing and it wouldn't cost us anything."
Pastore also stressed that anyone planning to host an event within the parks needs to fill out and submit the department's event form to ensure that it's clear what will need to be done by the department and by the event organizer in advance.
Pastore said that the form had not been completed ahead of the city's annual fireworks display at Waterworth Memorial Park, which had led to some miscommunications regarding the cleanup of debris after the event. Pastore stressed that the application ensures the department can make any necessary preparations for events in advance like setting up barricades and ensuring spotlights are on for evening races.
"Anybody holding an event in the parks, it shouldn't matter what, needs to fill that out so we know what they need and they know what we expect," Pastore said.
The parks commission will meet next at 8 a.m. on Aug. 26.