LEWISTON – Lewiston-based nonprofits would get a break on park fees, according to a plan going before the City Council Tuesday.
Assistant City Administrator Phil Nadeau said he is proposing to give nonprofit groups with a Lewiston mailing address an 80 percent discount on parks use fees.
“The way this looks in the end may be different,” Nadeau said. “It’s really up to the council to decide. We just wanted to present some parameters and generate some discussion.”
The council meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Lewiston City Hall.
The city has been discussing a parks use policy that requires groups to register with the city to use a public park for a special event. Four area parks would be affected – Kennedy Park, Courthouse Plaza, the Bates Mill Fountain Park and Railroad Park.
A first draft of the plan would have made certain parks available only to certain events. For example, Courthouse Plaza and the Bates Mill Fountain Park would be used for arts and cultural events while festivals and special events would be directed to Railroad Park and Veterans Memorial Park.
Councilors tabled a plan in August that would have charged a fee to use the parks based on the city’s capital debt at the park. Events at newer Courthouse Plaza would cost organizers $250 in capital fees, while events at the Bates Mill Fountain Park would cost $150. Railroad Park events would pay $125 in capital fees and events scheduled for Kennedy Park would be free.
Local religious and community groups said those prices would effectively keep them out of those parks.
“The entire discussion last time was about affordability,” Nadeau said. “Our intent has been to address what we were hearing.”
Local groups would be required to pay only 20 percent of the fee to use any park. For example, a local group could use Courthouse Plaza for $50 in capital fees and the Bates Mill Fountain Park for $30 and Railroad Park for $25. Each group would be able to get the discount up to five times per year.
staylor@sunjournal.com
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