Fitness Clubs, After School Programs Could Get a Break in Fees at City Parks

The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department wants the City Council to change fee structures to help blunt some of the economic impacts of the pandemic on local students participating in after school programs and others working out at private fitness clubs, now forced to conduct business in parking lots and parks.

According to a report on an item appearing on Monday’s City Council agenda, the department’s After School Adventures Program (ASAP) is partnering with LEARNs, PUSD’s after school program, to provide all-day supervision for a limited number of PUSD students on 12 campuses. 

Staff is recommending the creation of a modified after school fee of $30 per quarter and the temporary suspension of the $25 registration fee. The regular ASAP fees vary, based on the school children are attending, and are either $30 per week or $60 per semester.

“The After School Adventures Program Registration Fee, $25, shall remain suspended for as long as the Modified (COVID) After School Program fee is in place. At the appropriate time, staff will return to the City Council for approval to reinstate this suspended registration fee,” according to a city staff report by department Director Brenda Harvey-Williams. 

If the PUSD moves to a hybrid model or an in-person model for instruction during the school year, ASAP will modify its programming accordingly and evaluate the need for the modified after school fee. The Parks, Recreation, and Community Services Department will continue to offer scholarships to qualified families. 

The department also wants to suspend the collection of park rental fees from private fitness clubs.

The city Health Department’s current COVID safety orders prohibit fitness clubs and gyms from operating indoors, which has caused many of these businesses to cease operations and furlough or lay off employees. 

The move is consistent with other city actions taken to waive and reduce fees for businesses operating on the sidewalks and streets, in alleyways, parklets, and municipal parking lots.

“The nature of the business lends itself to operating outside. Some fitness clubs have access to a parking lot where they have been able to continue operations. However, those that don’t have such access could operate in city parks,” according to the report. “Because they still have rent and other overhead costs, suspension of the park rental fees, which vary from $57 to $174 per hour, would allow fitness businesses to generate some revenue. In addition, their customers would be able to engage in healthy physical activity.”