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Parents, rec organizers press North Smithfield School Committee for greater access to gyms and fields
Summary
Parents and volunteer organizers told the North Smithfield School Committee they are being denied access to middle- and high-school athletic space, citing a denied facilities request, custodial scheduling and insurance requirements; school staff said they will follow up with facilities and update permitting guidance.
Ashley Wall, a parent and the president of a newly revived NS Hoops recreational basketball program, told the North Smithfield School Committee on Sept. 16 that the program is having difficulty obtaining indoor court space at the district's middle and high schools.
“We are experiencing challenges with getting indoor court space,” Wall said during the public-comment portion of the meeting. She said the elementary school (NSES) has been “gracious” in providing time for clinics and programs, but the program has been denied access to middle- and high-school gyms for regular practices and games.
Committee members and staff explained scheduling and custodial constraints. A staff member said facilities requests are prioritized around school athletic schedules and that weekend rentals typically require a custodian to open, clean and prepare the gym for Monday, which can require overtime pay. “Even at time and a half, it’s difficult for people to give up their weekends to come in,” a staff member said, and offered to follow up with facilities to review scheduling.
Wall said organizers have been proactive: they have completed background checks, offered to help custodians with cleanup and sent facility requests and reminder emails to district staff. She told the committee the facilities request form was returned with a “no” about a week and a half before the meeting and that the group had emailed the district and reached out to a contact she identified as Mr. McNulty.
Committee members responded that they would review the facilities process, check recent emails and scheduling, and follow up with Wall. One committee member suggested adding community-organizer presentations to a future agenda so local groups can explain their needs and processes to district staff and committee members.
The exchange underscored two recurring obstacles described in the meeting: (1) scheduling conflicts because school teams receive priority for gym times, and (2) custodial staffing and overtime costs when facilities are used outside normal weekday hours. Staff said the district is working to make permitting clearer and to publish a concise facilities/insurance requirements document for community groups.
A committee member suggested a future meeting item in which community organizations would present their structure and needs so the district can better match space availability with outside programs.
