By DAVID TELLER
Staff Reporter
Cheney's Parks Board made some organizational changes at its Dec. 6 meeting just in time to start the new year.
In action items, the board approved a finalized draft of its resolution creating new park use policies and rules.
The new rules going into effect are the operating hours.
Under the new rules, parks are open from 6 a.m. to dusk, unless otherwise authorized. Exception would be parks that have lights for tennis courts, softball fields, and swimming pools.
The parks will then remain open until 10 p.m.
Activities presenting a hazard to park users or facilities like fireworks, projectiles like shooting arrows, throwing javelins, fuel burning rockets and other devices that are considered dangerous, are prohibited.
Other activities allowed, but requiring written approval from the Park Board are the use of golf clubs and golf balls, horses entering the park, motor vehicles, electrical sound generating equipment, driving stakes into the ground, pets not on a leash, use of park facility for private gain, launching of any type of fuel burning rocket, fires outside of designated areas, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, failure to remove pet feces, improper use of park equipment, selling anything without a permit, using metal detectors without a permit and interfering with activities bearing a reserved status, which has priority over other parks uses.
Violations of park rules will result in a $50 fine.
The rules will be reviewed on a yearly basis.
The resolution will go into effect five days after the council passes the resolution. The resolution has yet to be passed by City Council.
The city of Cheney has entered to an agreement with Northwest Parks Foundation (NFP).
Lady Bird Johnson and Laurence Rockefeller founded the Washington D.C. based non-profit organization in 1967.
According to their website, NPF was established to strengthen the connection between the American people and their national parks by raising private funds, making strategic grants, creating innovative partnerships and increasing public awareness.
NPF will manage the tax-deductible contributions to the Parks Safety Net Fund and will transfer funds to the city on a monthly basis.
The city agrees the NPF may deduct 9 percent from the donations as a service fee. The remaining funds will be held in a non-interest bearing account prior to being transferred to the city of Cheney.
The department has also established an official chapter of the National Youth Sports Coaches Association (NYSCA) to train volunteer coaches on the appropriate methods of working with children in sports, according to a Parks & Recreation Department press release.
The release said Cheney parks and recreation athletics coordinator Jera Donner would serve as the NYSCA chapter director for the department.
Her primary responsibility will be to conduct NYSCA clinics, which provide coaches critical information on everything from the psychology of coaching children and maximizing athletic performance, to practice organization and teaching proper sports techniques.
Coaches must successfully pass a written exam on the material to become NYSCA members, as well as sign the Coaches' Code of Ethics pledging to adhere to a standard of behavior.
“NYSCA's program provides valuable information on all aspects of coaching youth sports, which today's volunteers need to help ensure a positive and rewarding experience for all the youngsters on their team,” Donner said in the release.
David Teller can be reached at [email protected]
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