Softball Complex Reservation Policy

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PURPOSE: Warren County Park District (WCPD) is committed to providing clean, well maintained, and safe facilities for the use of park customers. While WCPD intends to provide players and coaches with a great playing experience, this requires balancing the high demand for use. The purpose of this policy is to ensure equitable access to park facilities while promoting organized activities that are compatible with WCPD’s mission. It also is intended to ensure safety and balance the needs of other park users, athletic Organizers, event participants, and the community. Athletic event requests submitted to WCPD for approval must be compatible with WCPD Rules and Regulations and must not compromise the unique features of the Armco Park Softball Complex (Complex).

SOFTBALL COMPLEX: The Armco Park Softball Complex features four lighted softball fields with synthetic turf infields and natural grass outfields, designed to accommodate softball of all types and baseball for youths 12 and under. The fields can accommodate base paths of up to 70 feet. The Complex also features a concession stand.

The complex generally operates April through October. Operating hours are 7:30am to 10:00pm.

A fully executed Softball Complex License Agreement and Permit is required for any use of the Complex and must be completed at least 21 days prior to the start of your event. An Organizer may sign separate agreements for each separate event, or, at its option, may use a single agreement for multiple events. If Organizer elects to use a single agreement for multiple events, fees for all events covered under the agreement are due and payable by the applicable deadline for the first event covered under the agreement.

RESERVATION REQUESTS: Reservation requests will not be accepted until the season’s reservation window opens. The reservation window dates will be posted on the Park District website.

If a deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the deadline is pushed to the next business day.

There are two types of reservations, tournament play and league play. Reservations for tournament play are for a single day or a series of consecutive days. Tournament reservation requests with gaps in between consecutive dates shall be treated as separate reservations which may be approved or denied separately.

League play reservations are for the same day of the week for a series of consecutive weeks. For this type of reservation, email a request with the desired dates to parks@co.warren.oh.us.

WCPD provides Whole Complex rentals on a per-day or multi-day basis only. Whole Complex reservations are given priority, but individual fields may be reserved no more than 60 days in advance on a per-game or per-hour basis if the Complex is not already rented.

All reservation requests are subject to WCPD approval.

FEES, DEPOSITS, AND DEADLINES: Softball Complex pricing is as stated in the Fee Schedule, which will be posted on the Park Distrcit website.

A 20% non-refundable deposit is due and payable, without demand, within seven calendar days of reservation request approval. If the deposit is not received within seven calendar days, the reservation dates will be made available to others. Deposits are due upon registration for teams participating in WCPD-organized leagues.

The balance of all rental fees and all required documents (defined below) are due and payable, without demand, at least 21 calendar days before the first day of the scheduled event. WCPD recommends that Organizers pay fee balances and submit required documentation well in advance of this deadline to avoid cancellation.

If the Complex or any field is reserved less than 21 days in advance, all fees and documents are due within seven days of reservation request approval, and no refund is possible if the customer cancels.

Failure to pay the fee balance or submit required documents by the deadline may result in cancellation of the reservation without refund of deposit. Future reservation requests may also be subject to denial.

For WCPD-organized leagues, league fees and all required documents are due seven calendar days before the first scheduled game of the session. Teams that do not pay league fees and submit all required documents in advance of this deadline are subject to removal from the league and/or forfeiture of one or more games.

At the time of deposit submittal, an Organizer may, at their option, authorize WCPD to keep credit card information on file and charge the credit card for the balance of fees 21 calendar days before the first day of the scheduled event. Credit card authorization forms will be kept in a locked file drawer at the WCPD office, or in a secure online database, and any Organizer may request WCPD to shred or delete their credit card authorization at any time. Organizers assume all risk associated with submitting credit card information to WCPD.

In the event that a credit card on file is declined, or a credit card charge is disputed, or check returned unpaid, the reservation will be suspended and WCPD will attempt to contact the Organizer to resolve the situation. If an alternative valid form of payment is not received by WCPD within two business days of the initial attempt to contact the Organizer, the reservation may be cancelled. An additional $30 administrative fee will be required to reinstate a reservation in the event of a returned check or disputed credit card charge.

If a deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the deadline is pushed to the next business day.

Payments may be made by credit card (by phone or in person at the WCPD office), check (by mail or in person at the WCPD office), or cash in person at the WCPD office (be sure to obtain a receipt).

Payment must be received by WCPD before the applicable deadline to avoid cancellation – WCPD is not responsible for mail delays.

GATE FEE: Unless the organizer selects the “gate fee buyout option” (see Schedule B), players and spectators will be charged a $3 gate fee to enter the Complex. The gate fee is collected by the Park District’s contracted concessionaire.

Organizers may work with the Park District’s concessionaire to add any gate fees/admission charges charged by the Organizer to the Park District’s gate fee. The terms of that arrangement are to be determined exclusively between the Organizer and the Park District’s concessionaire.

If the gate fee buyout option is selected, neither the Park District nor its concessionaire are responsible for providing any staff to collect the Organizer’s gate/admission fee.

Gate fees are not charged when 1-3 individual fields are rented. Organizers who rent 1-3 individual fields are not permitted to charge or collect their own gate fees.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS: In addition to the above fees, Organizers must submit the following required documents at least 21 calendar days prior to the first day of their scheduled event via email to parks@co.warren.oh.us:

Insurance - Organizers shall provide WCPD a valid insurance certificate documenting at least One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) of comprehensive general liability insurance per occurrence or any combination of a comprehensive general liability and an umbrella policy totaling One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence, naming the Organizer as the insured and WCPD as an additional insured, to fully protect against claims arising from the use of the premises. Neither party extends to any other person or organization indemnification or protection from liability arising from use of the premises.

Additional Insured shall be indicated as follows: Warren County Park District, 1223 North State Route 741, Lebanon, OH 45036.

WCPD Athletic Field License Agreement – Signed by Organizer. WCPD will sign and return to Organizer no later than 14 days prior to the first day of the scheduled event, provided that all required fees and documents have been received and are acceptable to WCPD.
Participant Waiver of Responsibility Form – Organizer shall submit an example of the general Participant Waiver of Responsibility form it intends to use for the event. The form shall specifically name Warren County Park District (WCPD) and release WCPD and all of its appointed officials, employees, and volunteers from all claims resulting from any injuries or other outcomes sustained while participating in the scheduled event. Alternatively, Organizer may use the standard WCPD Participant Waiver of Responsibility Form, which will be provided upon request.

After the 21-day deadline, if any of the above documents received by WCPD are deemed to be inadequate, Organizer will be given three business days to resubmit acceptable documents.

ELIGIBILITY / GOOD STANDING

To rent Armco Park Softball Complex fields on available dates, an Organizer must be considered in Good Standing with WCPD. Organizer in Good Standing means the following:

Complies with applicable law and all WCPD policies, rules, and procedures.
Pays deposits and fees in a timely manner according to WCPD policy and procedure.
Provides the required insurance.
Submits and/or signs requested documents in a timely manner according to WCPD policy and procedure.
Follows through with scheduled events and commitments, with cancellations being rare and due to reasons beyond Organizer’s control.
Behaves, and causes event participants to behave, in an orderly and safe manner, complying with applicable laws, WCPD rules, and WCPD policies. Is self-policing.
Vacates the Softball Complex at the agreed-upon time and returns it to WCPD in rentable, damage-free condition, absent normally expected wear and tear.
Complies with the directions of authorized WCPD staff.
Maintains a cooperative working relationship with WCPD staff.
Remits all fines, damage assessments, and/or restitution to WCPD in a timely manner upon reasonable request.

Failure to remain in Good Standing shall subject the organizer’s reservations to suspension or cancellation without refund, and may result in denial of future reservation requests. If loss of Good Standing affects an existing reservation, the organizer will be notified in writing of such. If WCPD determines, at its sole discretion, that the organizer can be returned to Good Standing by taking corrective actions, WCPD will outline those conditions in the notification and/or arrange a call with the organizer to discuss a corrective action plan.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

All use of the fields requires a fully executed Athletic Field License Agreement and Permit issued by WCPD to ensure the quality of the fields and to ensure a positive park experience for all. Unscheduled and/or unauthorized use of the Complex is NOT PERMITTED.
WCPD’s contracted concessionaire is the exclusive concession provider at the Softball Complex. No person shall solicit donations, sell, or solicit for sale any article, privilege, or service within the park unless properly licensed and in possession of a special permit issued by WCPD, with payment of applicable fees. No food or drinks except fruit and water are permitted to be brought into the Softball Complex.
All other areas of the park close at dusk unless otherwise specifically authorized in advance by WCPD. Organizer shall notify event participants to exit the park via the Greentree Road gate only after dusk.
Every Organizer shall designate a Site Director who will be the main point of contact for WCPD staff during the event and will be responsible for the following: 1) Ensuring the safety, security, and orderliness of participants; 2) Directing event participants to comply with applicable laws and WCPD rules and policies, and 3) Facilitating communication between WCPD staff and event leaders and participants.
Organizer shall complete and cause each participant to sign a general Participant Waiver of Responsibility Form specifically naming WCPD and releasing WCPD and all appointed officials, employees, and volunteers from all claims resulting from any injuries or other outcomes sustained while participating in the event. WCPD will provide its standard Participant Waiver of Responsibility Form upon request.
Organizer also releases WCPD, its elected and appointed officials, employees, and volunteers from any and all claims resulting from the cancellation, suspension, delay, or closure of the Complex for any reason.
In the case of inclement weather, WCPD will use the following criteria for closing any field(s): standing water, saturated fields, and any unsafe playing conditions. If inclement weather occurs during licensed use, Organizers must use their own best judgment to continue or cancel during that use period. Damages to athletic fields beyond normal wear and tear are subject to restitution. Any Organizer who uses fields that have been closed by WCPD will be assessed a $500.00 fine per closed field used.
WCPD will endeavor to contact Organizers with notification of field closures due to inclement weather no later than 3:00 p.m. on weekdays and 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. The Organizer and/or team may be notified of closings by posted signs and/or WCPD website.
It is the responsibility of the Organizer that all persons in attendance at their event or activity shall comply with this policy, WCPD Rules and Regulations, Armco Park Softball Complex Rules of Conduct (Exhibit B) and Athletic Field License Agreement & Permit provisions. See https://co.warren.oh.us/parks/ParkRules.pdf for WCPD Rules and Regulations.
WCPD staff reserve the right to ask anyone behaving disruptively and/or violating applicable law or WCPD rules or policies to leave the Park. Failure to comply with such a request will be treated as trespassing and reported to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. WCPD also extends this right to Organizer’s Site Director.
Only the Organizer whose name is on the License Agreement can request changes to the proposed use of park property. Changes must be submitted in writing and, if agreeable to WCPD, approval in writing by WCPD staff will be provided. WCPD staff will determine if additional fees are necessary.
Reservation and rental times include ALL set-up, warm-up; and take-down/clean-up time. Early access for set-up or late access for breakdown may be granted by WCPD as a courtesy and must be arranged in advance with the Park Supervisor. Such a request may be approved or denied at the sole discretion of the Park Supervisor, who must take into consideration other scheduled uses and maintenance of the Complex.
Subletting of park rental space and/or assigning license contract rights to others is prohibited unless approved in advance by WCPD CEO or his/her designee in writing.
Metal cleats are strictly forbidden on the synthetic turf. Organizers and team managers are responsible for ensuring metal cleats are not used. Violation may result in a $500 fine plus restitution for damages.
Food, beverages other than water, tobacco products, and gum are prohibited on the synthetic turf. Organizers and team managers are responsible for ensuring compliance. Violation may result in fines, loss of Good Standing, forfeiture of game(s), loss of league privileges, and/or ejection from the Complex without refund.
Dogs are not allowed except for service animals as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, on a leash. Emotional support or comfort animals do not qualify as service animals. Violation may result in ejection from the Complex without refund.
Organizers are responsible for moving bases and portable pitching mounds, and for erecting and removing temporary fencing (if desired to shorten the home-run distance of the field).
Organizers are responsible for hiring and paying their own umpires. League teams are responsible for paying umpires (cash only).
Concession services or availability of concessions are not guaranteed. Absence of any or all concession services shall not be grounds for a refund.
WCPD is not responsible for pumping water off of or removing snow from fields.
WCPD does not charge extra for lighting, and the adequacy of field lighting is not guaranteed. Early event termination due to a complete failure of the lighting system may qualify Organizer for a pro-rated refund, less deposit, based on hours of playing time lost.
Failure of score boards, public address systems, or other systems that do not preclude play from occurring shall not be cause for any refund.

No person shall direct a WCPD employee other than that employee’s supervisor or higher-level manager. No person shall be physically or verbally abusive towards any WCPD employee or contractor.

CANCELLATION: WCPD reserves the right to cancel any event and retain any deposits and fees paid if the Organizer knowingly makes a false statement of material fact, has knowingly omitted a material fact in the field use application, submits incomplete or inaccurate information, fails to pay fees when due, fails to submit information in a timely manner, or fails to comply with the Athletic Field License Agreement, applicable law, or WCPD rules/policies.

Organizer acknowledges that the facility may be rendered unusable or otherwise unavailable due to circumstances beyond anyone’s control, including but not limited to flooding, fire, natural disaster, other acts of God, criminal acts, or acts of war or terrorism. If the event of cancellation by WCPD, fees will be refunded less the non-refundable deposit. WCPD shall not be liable for Organizer’s consequential damages, including but not limited to, other costs incurred in connection with Organizer’s event, lost profits, and lost business opportunities.

Fees are not refunded for reserved time(s) not used by Organizer outside of the circumstances and policies herein. Organizer’s cancellation of a reservation is subject to the following conditions and fees:

Notice of cancellation shall be provided to WCPD in writing by the person who is duly authorized by the License Agreement.
If notice of cancellation to WCPD is made more than 21 calendar days prior to the first scheduled use date, WCPD will retain the non-refundable deposit; any other fees paid will be refunded to the Organizer.
Notice of cancellation to WCPD that is made less than 21 calendar days prior to the first date of the scheduled event will result in no refunds being due or granted.
Deposits are non-refundable and are not transferrable to other dates. In the event of a cancellation, deposits may be transferred to other organizers for the same date(s) at WCPD’s sole discretion.
Fees, except for the non-refundable deposit, will be refunded if WCPD cancels the event. 20% deposits are only refunded in extraordinary circumstances where WCPD cancels the event and the reason for cancellation is reasonably foreseeable and fully within WCPD’s control. Deposits are not refunded in the event of weather cancellations or other unforeseen events or circumstances. WCPD will provide eligible refunds within 30 days of cancellation.
Closure by WCPD of one or more fields due to weather or unacceptable field conditions will result in refunds, less deposit, on a per-field basis. Organizer may receive a full refund if more than two fields are closed, and Organizer chooses to cancel rather than play on only one field. Per-field refund will only be granted if Organizer complies with WCPD’s field closure order. Disregarding a WCPD field closure order will result in no refund and assessment of a $500 fine per closed field used.
Upon request and approval by WCPD, funds eligible for return under this policy may be credited toward a future event or fee.

INCLEMENT WEATHER / UNSAFE FIELD CONDITION: The Armco Park Softball Complex features synthetic turf infields, but the outfields are natural grass. Field use and condition can be affected by inclement weather. If field use is potentially affected due to inclement weather, the Park Supervisor or designee will work with the Organizer to determine if conditions are:

Playable: Inclement weather did not impact field condition. Play can occur on that field.
Unplayable and Delayed: Inclement weather impacted field condition. Play may be delayed. Delay will be in 1-hour increments and determined by the Park Supervisor or designee when play may resume.
Unplayable and Cancelled: Inclement weather severely impacted field condition and all play will be cancelled on that field for the day. The next day, the field will be reevaluated to determine its status.

WCPD is not responsible for pumping water off fields or removing snow from fields.

In the event of lightning, play must be suspended in the event of lightning in the area and may not resume until 30 minutes after lightning ceases.

Extreme Heat or Cold – WCPD will not close the Softball Complex in the event of extreme heat or cold, except where frost or frozen soil impacts field conditions as defined above, or when the extreme heat/cold presents an unacceptable risk to WCPD employee safety. Organizers are cautioned that temperatures on synthetic turf can greatly exceed surrounding air temperatures during hot weather. Considerations of participant safety and the decision to delay or cancel an event due to extreme heat or cold are the sole responsibility of the Organizer.

Unsafe Field Condition – If field condition affects the ability to provide safe playing conditions, the Park Supervisor or designee will work with the Organizer to assess the safety and playability of the fields. If the fields are showing significant damage from play before or during an event, the Park Supervisor or designee may work with the Organizer to determine playability or close the affected field.

If 40% or more of playing time in a day is lost due to WCPD-ordered delays, a pro-rated refund, less deposit, will be issued based on hours of playing time lost. Disregarding a WCPD delay order will result in no refund and assessment of a $500 fine per closed field used.

LEGAL COMPLIANCE: Organizer shall follow all local, state, and federal laws applicable to the use of WCPD facilities and the activities emanating therefrom including, but not limited to, health, worker’s compensation, discrimination, licensing laws, WCPD rules and policies.

In compliance with House Bill 143, Return to Play Law (ORC Section 3707.511), Youth Sports Organizations, Coaches, Referee, Officials, & Instructors are required to follow the guidelines for concussion training, safety, and awareness requirements as presented in House Bill 143, the Return to Play Law. Information regarding the law can be found at https://odh.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odh/know-our-programs/child-injury/resources/rtp-law

In compliance with Senate Bill 252, Lindsay’s Law (ORC Sections 3313.5310, 3707.58, and 3707.59) Youth Sports Organizations, Coaches, Referees, Officials, & Instructors are required to follow the guidelines for informing and educating students and youth athletes participating in or desiring to participate in an athletic activity, their parents, and their coaches about the nature and warning signs of sudden cardiac arrest. Information regarding the law can be found at https://www.odh.ohio.gov/landing/Lindsays-Law.aspx.

Individual Field Rentals

Whole Complex rentals are prioritized.
Individual fields (up to 3) may be rented for $75 per game or $50 per field per hour for practice.
Reservations for individual fields will be accepted no more than 60 days beforehand.
There is no gate fee with individual field rentals.
Concessions are generally not included with individual field reservations, but may be provided at concessionaire's sole discretion.