Reimagine Recreation and Parks

Fee Schedule

Following community feedback, including input from the Board of Recreation and Parks and other recreation council stakeholders, the Department has released the FY2025 fee schedule. 

This newly revised structure will modernize current Department fees bringing them in line with benchmarked jurisdictions. Additionally, this represents the first time that the Department has endeavored to publish fees to the public creating better transparency. Fees range from pavilion and facility rentals to modest program fees for youth and adult recreation users. 

Beginning July 1, 2024: 
External Non-Profit and For-Profit Groups or Organizations that operate separately from Certified Recreation Councils will be charged fees according to the FY2025 fee schedule. 

Beginning January 1, 2025:
There will continue to be no charges for Certified Recreation Council In-House Youth Programs. However, to support field and facility maintenance, funding for all field equipment (including chalk, goals, nets, etc.), and ensuring quality customer service with appropriate field and facility staffing, the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks will collect the following fees:

• Recreation Council In-House Youth Programs: No charges for participants.
• Recreation Council Travel/Club Youth Programs: $10 per participant per season.
• Recreation Council Adult Programs: $25 per participant per season. 

Please note: The current $20 per hour staffing and facility fee for adult and out of season programs, will continue to be collected where appropriate, until January 1, 2025. These fees will be eliminated effective, January 1, 2025.

Program Definitions

Program definitions were developed in consultation with the stakeholder group and the Board of Recreation and Parks.

“Certified Recreation Council” means a 501c3 non-profit organization recognized by the Baltimore County Board of Recreation and Parks as meeting their criteria established by the Board as part of the bi-annual certification process. Additionally, to be certified Recreation Councils will need to have a signed approved Memorandum of Understating (MOU) with the Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks. 

“Recognition” means the process established within the By-Laws of the Baltimore County Board of Recreation and Parks to approved Recreation Councils and the MOU process by the Department of Recreation and Parks.

“Recreation program” means a program recognized by a certified recreation council as operating: 

1. solely as a seasonal and/or full year program of a single certified council; and
2. with all funds collected and disbursed by the program controlled and governed by the certified recreation council’s adopted By-Laws, policies, or procedures; and
3. with all registrants having an opportunity to participate in the program regardless of skill level; and 
4. with the program leadership actively involved in the affairs of the council, as defined by the By-Laws, policies, or procedures of the council.

“Recreation Programs” include, but are not limited to:

1. In-house leagues operated by one single Council;
2. Interscholastic middle school sports teams or programs;
3. Inter-council sports teams or programs wherein any single council has an insufficient number of registrants to provide a viable intra-council program;
4. Clinic instructional short-term programs (Learn to play style programs etc.)

“Recreation Council Travel/Club Program” means a program:

1. that does not offer guaranteed participation regardless of skill level within the program; and
2. can operate as a seasonal and/or full year program of a single certified council; and
3. with all funds collected and disbursed by the program controlled and governed by the certified recreation council’s adopted By-Laws, policies, or procedures; and 
4. with the program leadership actively involved in the affairs of the council, as defined by the By-Laws, policies, or procedures of the council; and
5. program costs are affordable as determined by the Department; and
6. coaches/administrators are mostly volunteers and/or participation is mainly comprised of local/surrounding area participants.

In the event above criteria are not met, the Department reserves the right to charge appropriate fees for facility access in line with an Outside Club/Travel Program.  

“Outside Club/Travel Program” means a program:

1. that does not offer guaranteed participation regardless of skill level within the program; and
2. that itself or its parent/affiliate organization has a non-profit, not for profit, for profit or corporate status separate from a certified recreation council; or, that deposits any revenue in a financial institution or makes disbursements from said account which is not under the control of a recreation council or the federal TIN on the account is assigned to an entity different from the recreation council; and
3. program costs are unaffordable as determined by the Department; and
4. coaches/administrators are not mostly volunteers and/or participation is mainly comprised of local/surrounding area participants. 

Revised Permit Process and Priority Access Policy Announced

Following robust feedback from Recreation Councils, Nature Councils, and the public, the Department is announcing plans to maintain the current Permit Process and Priority Access Policy.

Order of Priority:  
1.    Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks Programs
2.    Certified Recreation Councils 
       a.    Youth Recreation/In-House level Programs from Local Recreation Council 
       b.    Youth Travel/Club Programs from Local Recreation Council 
       c.    Adult Programs from Local Recreation Council 
       d.    Youth Recreation/In-House level Programs from other Recreation Council 
       e.    Youth Travel/Club Programs from other Recreation Council 
       f.    Adult Programs from other Recreation Council 
3.    BCPS Programs
4.    Outside Non-Profit Organizations or Groups
       a.    Youth Programs
       b.    Adult Programs
5.    For-Profit Organizations or Groups
       a.    Youth Programs
       b.    Adult Programs

In addition, the Department’s prior seasons of play policy will be reinstated for the Recreation Council Programs.

Grant Opportunities

Additionally, in an effort to strengthen the partnership between the Department and recreation and nature councils that offer sports and community-based programming, the County will soon offer grant funding available to support capacity building and will also make available technical assistance and other trainings for recreation and nature councils through the Maryland Association of Non-Profit Organizations (MANO). Application details, including eligibility requirements, will be available in July. 

End of Group Leadership Program

As has been previously communicated, beginning July 1, 2024 the group leadership program will begin phasing out. It is expected that Recreation and Nature Councils will be responsible for directly hiring Council employees and meet all necessary legal requirements. The Department will continue to work with each Council on providing appropriate guidance on next steps related to their specific concerns, and as indicated above will provide grant funding to support capacity building for councils. Councils requiring assistance to accomplish this change will be addressed individually, with the goal being no loss in program operations.

To ensure all councils are prepared for this transition, the Department will be hosting webinars for councils by region in the month of July to answer questions and to assist with this transition. 

Following a series of Open House and Community Listening Sessions in the Spring of 2024, the Department compiled answers to the community’s most frequently asked questions about Department and the Reimagine initiative.  At those sessions, the Department also committed to publish and answer the entire list of questions submitted at the listening sessions.  

We will continue to ensure residents remain informed, engaged and involved throughout this process.

Read the list of frequently asked questions and answers

Read the entire list of community questions

The Department Fee Schedule includes fees that are applicable to items across the County such as pavilion and facility rentals, “drop-in” recreation programming, Department-led programs, beach access and watersports rentals etc. Fees that are associated with all external user groups that operate separately from certified recreation councils will go into effect July 1, 2024. New Fees that are associated with Recreation and Nature Councils will go into effect on January 1, 2025.

View the complete Fee Schedule.

PRIORITY RECOMMENDATIONS

The Department engaged PROS Consulting, an established recreation and parks consultant, to conduct an organizational change assessment. PROS created a Community Assessment Report which outlines 19 recommendations. Four of those 19 recommendations will be implemented first:

1. The CivicRec online registration platform is a new, one-stop destination for all things related to County recreation facilities, programs and park reservations.
2. A Permit Process and Priority Access Policy that prioritizes access to fields and facilities for community-based recreation programs. 
3. The Department will work to establish memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with each of the Recreation and Nature Councils.
4. All staff employed by the Department of Recreation and Parks will work exclusively for the Department of Recreation and Parks.

While the Department hopes to implement some form of each recommendation provided in the report, the actual achievement will depend on available resources, input and collaboration.

An overview of the initiative can be viewed by accessing the Reimagining Recreation presentation.

In May, the Department of Recreation and Parks hosted four open house and listening sessions throughout the County. View the presentation.