The Homewood-Flossmoor Park District has set new rates for non-residents who participate in park programs.
Fees have typically been 50 percent higher, but park board members agreed with parks Executive Director Debbie Kopas’ review and reduced most fees to 25 percent higher for non-residents.
“In order to stay competitive with all the choices in the marketplace, we need to adjust our non-resident policy,” she told the board. There will still be exceptions. Kopas suggested some popular programs should keep the 50 percent higher fee “in order to protect the quality of the program and availability of the program for residents.”
As an example, Kopas said the boys basketball program will keep the 50 percent price differential as a way of making certain Homewood residents can fill spots before out-of-district players.
“In many cases, we need the non-resident participation in order to keep the resident rates low,” Kopas explained. Non-resident participation also helps some programs reach the minimum participation number so the park district doesn’t have to cancel the class, she told board members.
Lions Club pool passes for summer are now on sale at the 25 percent higher cost of $256 for non-residents, compared to $205 for residents.
Kopas said certain senior programs, such as the luncheon programs and holiday parties, will no longer have a differential between resident and non-resident attendees.
The senior trips will continue to have a resident and non-resident fee structure.