Lawrence Parks and Recreation Advisory Board members shared some hesitation as the department plans to start charging community members fees to use city recreation facilities.
The city as a whole is looking to cover a $6.6 million deficit in the 2026 budget. The parks department is supposed to come up with $1.8 million of that total in cuts.
Luis Ruiz, director of Parks, Recreation and Culture for the city, told board members during their Monday meeting that rec centers have traditionally been open on holidays when all other city services are closed. Closing on those days will save about $20,000 per year, he said.
Adding fees for community members to use the rec centers, however, would bring in about $500,000, Ruiz said, leaving $1.3 million in cuts to be made.
Many other communities have fees to use recreation facilities. City staff members have brought up the idea in Lawrence in recent years to help offset department costs. In 2023, the city reversed course after proposed fees were met with concerns from dozens of members of the public.
Board member Vicki Collie-Akers said she’s felt “some discomfort” about the plan.
“I think our community has invested in these resources over time and feels loss around gated access,” she said.
Ruiz said that “we’re not trying to, you know, gouge the public. It’s just … if you want this to continue, there are greater sacrifices that will need to be made.”
Many community members have said that the city promised before Sports Pavilion Lawrence was built that residents would never have to pay to use it, and they haven’t since it opened in 2014. Ruiz, who joined the city staff last year, said that promise was never codified.
Board member Taylor Bussinger said he understands the department is in a tough spot, but he basically grew up at the Holcom Park rec center, and he wants to be mindful of adding fees and “minimizing the negative impact on the kids that use these programs.”
“That scares me, as a father that has two kids that are in rec programs who use the facilities all the time,” he said.
Ruiz said the department will continue working on a plan to implement fees and likely bring it back to the board in June.
“In the entire process, we’re looking at fairness,” he said. “… We’re looking at the scholarship opportunities, pricing opportunities, so that we are not leaving anybody behind.”
In practice, the fees will likely look like monthly, six-month and annual memberships with swipe cards rather than staff members taking cash at the door, Ruiz said.
“Obviously it’s going to be a huge cultural change,” board Chair Lisa Hallberg said. “And you don’t get to that without having conversations — many conversations.”
Board members also heard a presentation from community members about a proposed bike park and trail system at Cameron’s Bluff, which is just north of city limits beyond Burcham Park. More information is available in the meeting agenda.
The board was not asked to take action on either item.
The Parks and Rec Advisory Board meets at 5:30 p.m. on the second Mondays of the month. Find more information and future meeting agendas at this link.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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