New guidelines for town-owned recreation facility rentals approved
June 11, 2026 at 3:23 AM
Changes are coming to the way groups book time at town-owned recreation facilities.
A staff report introduced new guidelines and received council support, without much discussion, on the changes at the June 8 council-in-committee meeting. The report said the changes will offer a more consistent and equitable format for user groups while at the same time reducing the operational challenges staff faced through the former first come, first served system.
“Establishing formalized guidelines supported by council will provide staff with a clear and transparent framework for managing allocation requests in an equitable and consistent manner,” the report said.
A draft of the guidelines describe a system where town staff will request applications twice a year. In February they’ll open up applications for the spring and summer season, and then in May, applications for the fall and winter season will open.
It also ranks applications from high to low priority. At the top of the list are Town of Fort Erie events or activities, followed by Fort Erie-based tournaments and events, groups that have an existing lease agreement with the town, and community organizations serving residents.
Rounding out the list are private rentals by town residents and businesses, community organizations serving non-residents, and finally private rentals by non-locals.
Changes or cancellations to a rental permit must be submitted at least seven days in advance of the scheduled rental. Otherwise the group will have to pay the full fee.
“Currently, user groups have the opportunity to release booked space with very little notice, leaving the town with insufficient time to rebook the facility and resulting in lost revenue opportunities,” the staff report said.
The guidelines also call for twice-a-year meetings with user groups, an effort to improve on what some groups have historically suggested to be limited communication with staff.
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About The Author
Luke Edwards
Luke Edwards is a longtime Niagara community journalist who has covered a variety of beats, including business, agriculture, the wine industry and politics. When not writing, there's a good chance he can be found at a baseball diamond or curling rink.
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