Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Playfields Batting Cages topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Davis commission directs staff to pursue fee increases, promotion and alternatives for Playfields Park batting cages
Summary
After staff reported declining use and a roughly $16,000 annual deficit, the Davis Recreation Park Commission voted to pursue a fee increase, more promotion and exploration of alternative operating models and amenities for the Playfields Park batting cages, with a $5,000 cap on future capital repairs.
Vice Chair (presiding), Davis Recreation Park Commission — The Davis Recreation Park Commission on Feb. 19 directed staff to pursue fee increases, additional promotion and alternative operating models for the batting cages at Playfields Park rather than immediately closing the facility for the season.
Tamika, staff member — Tamika, the staff presenter, told the commission that the batting-cage operation “annual deficit was more than $16,000 annually,” and that equipment at the site is about 29 years old. She said a two-week community survey drew 366 responses, that 57% of respondents reported ever using the cages, 33% had not used them in more than three years and 12% use them regularly. Youth engagement was low: about 26% were age 17 and under. The follow-up pricing survey showed support for raising the token price toward $3–$4, staff said.
Why it matters: The commission must balance limited parks funding, council-adopted pricing policy and changing community priorities. Staff said continuing the batting cages under current costs would not conform to the city’s 2016 pricing-and-fee policy, which places highly individualized activities in a higher cost-recovery bracket.
Staff recommended two primary options: increase fees (with a $5,000 cap on capital repairs) and continue operation, or keep the batting cages closed for the coming season and study replacement or repurposing of the space. Tamika told the commission the facility’s annual operating budget is roughly $20,000 while revenues recovered about $4,300, which equated to about $41 per operating day versus an estimated $69 per day needed to cover staffing alone under current operations. Staff also noted that some repairs require out-of-state specialists and that removing the mechanized elements could allow a lower-cost “live-arm” batting cage that would not require staffing.
Commission discussion focused on exhausting alternatives before closure, outreach and promotion, exploring a public‑private concession model, limiting capital investment and testing modest fee increases for one season. Commissioners raised the point that Davis has few publicly accessible batting cages and suggested more promotion to Little League and youth groups as part of a one‑year trial. Multiple commissioners asked staff to return with continued options and implementation details.
Action taken: A commissioner moved that staff pursue additional promotions and a fee increase, cap future capital repairs at $5,000, and explore private‑sector or live‑arm alternatives for the coming spring and summer; another commissioner seconded. The motion carried by voice vote; individual vote tallies were not recorded in the transcript.
Next steps and limits: The commission’s direction was a policy-level consensus to refine the staff recommendation, not an immediate directive to expend new capital funds beyond the $5,000 repair cap suggested in discussion. Staff said it would return with refined options, outreach plans and any private‑public partnership proposals.
Ending: The commission also noted that the Davis Youth Soccer/Association (DYSA) is planning its own batting-cage construction at community parks, which staff said could affect future demand at Playfields Park.
