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Murrieta expands youth center hours and pilots charter‑school use to increase facility utilization
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Summary
Staff reported that morning before‑school hours and partnerships with charter schools have increased youth center use; a pilot with Sage Oak Charter has led the city to craft reservation forms, fee alignment and waivers to allow broader charter use while tracking sustainability and revenue potential.
City recreation staff told the Parks and Recreation Commission they are expanding the youth center’s hours and testing partnership use by charter schools to make fuller use of the facility and serve families with varied schedules.
Recreation Supervisor Victor Patino said the youth center moved from a traditional after‑school model into a before‑school pilot (07:00–08:45) and that a two‑year pilot showed low first‑year attendance followed by steady growth to about 30–45 morning users in the second year. He said the center now registers 229 youth for the 2025–26 school year with daily check‑ins near 114 and that summer camps had 580 registrants across sessions.
Patino described an ongoing pilot partnership with Sage Oak Charter School that used the center for PLC meetings, staff trainings, physical assessments and career days; staff said the pilot was successful and Sage Oak has already reserved recurring uses through 2026. To support expanded rental and charter use, staff said they created a standardized reservation form, insurance and waiver requirements, and aligned hourly and deposit fees to the community center schedule (deposits in the $300–$700 range depending on nonprofit or for‑profit status).
Commissioners asked about scholarships and access for low‑income families. Staff said sibling discounts are offered and Riverside County assistance programs have been used to pay program fees in some cases. Patino said the department is monitoring demand and sustainability and will track utilization for at least one school year before making permanent changes to policy or fee structures.
The commission responded positively to the pilot and to proposals to reach out to charter schools, homeschool pods and local partners to increase morning and daytime usage.
