NE Valley Times

The Parks and Recreation Department oversees four aquatic facilities and manages reservations for 109 sports fields at city parks and some public schools. Although many sports activities are sponsored by the city, the department collaborates with non-profit organizations to schedule these fields and pools for various youth sports and activities.

There is room for improvement in field and pool resource management by standardizing processes, reducing maintenance windows, and configuring the recreation management system more effectively. Current limitations on field availability arise from closures, locked fields, scheduled maintenance, and activity setup times. Additionally, individual lane use at pools is not tracked, and existing policies do not ensure swim lanes are reserved for public use. It is recommended that website information be updated regularly to allow users to reserve fields directly. The department should also ensure that the recreation management system is set up to facilitate accurate pool fee charges and proper account recording. Furthermore, it is advised that the full operating costs of pools and fields be calculated when evaluating cost recovery rates for City Council approval.

In response, "the department responded that staff will be working to implement the recommendations to the greatest degree possible though there may be some field maintenance, system, and similar limitations."