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Longview staff propose lower youth fees, new family pass and scholarship to expand rec-center access
Summary
Parks staff proposed lowering some annual rates, making youth access free up to age 17, and creating a scholarship seeded by the PALS Foundation; council discussed safety, staffing, and an estimated $38,000 first-year revenue impact and set monitoring and review plans.
Parks staff presented proposed changes to Longview’s recreation center fee structure at the Jan. 23 council meeting that would lower barriers to entry for youth and families, seed a scholarship fund, and change several annual and monthly rates.
John Albertson (presenting staff) described the proposal: an annual family pass for $90, annual adult and senior passes at $50, free annual youth passes for ages 17 and under, and monthly adult and senior passes at $5. Green Street’s current $15 annual rate would remain, and a universal pass that covers all centers would include Green Street for residents over 55. Staff said any child age 7 and under must be accompanied by a guardian age 18 or older.
To address access for very young children, staff proposed a scholarship program run with the PALS Foundation and said seed funds are already available to start it. Albertson estimated the first-year budgetary impact of the fee changes at about $38,000 and said staff will return within 12 months to review program outcomes. He said there are 40 existing annual memberships and staff will establish a refund policy to address those purchases.
Council members raised safety and supervision concerns for making youth admission free up to age 17. Councilwoman Gemba and others noted past incidents elsewhere involving unsupervised teens and asked how the city would mitigate behavior and staffing impacts. Albertson said existing requirements for children under 7 (guardian present) would remain and that staff would monitor participation and bring recommended changes back to council if necessary. Councilmembers suggested monitoring senior participation and considering whether additional staffing might be required if utilization increases.
Councilmembers praised staff for incorporating feedback from a previous meeting and indicated they expect a follow-up vote at a subsequent meeting after any last refinements and implementation planning.
