July 31, 2014
The reciprocal relationship between the Plymouth Park and Recreation Department and the Plymouth Schools continues to be valuable for both.
According to Park Board records, a multi-year contract allows the schools to use the park facilities for a number of activities for annually paid lease fees. The Park Department can, in turn, use school facilities and equipment at no charge.
Both the Park Department and the Schools agreed to provide a seven-day notice of potential conflicts in scheduling.
The current contract was negotiated in March 2012 to begin on July 1, 2012 and is in force until June 30. 2021. The Plymouth Schools agreed to pay $23,000 per year through June 30, 2015; increase to $24,000 per year from July 1 until June 30, 2018; and then add $1000 per year ($25,000) to the lease fees from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2021.
The schools have use of Young Amphitheater, tennis courts, Conservation Clubhouse and other spaces. The schools provide their tournament schedules for tennis, baseball and cross-country as they are established.
They also have use of Nixon Field and accepted the responsibility to maintain the infield brick dust playing surfaces for both the Plymouth High School and summer baseball seasons. The Park continues to mow the grassy areas. The Schools do have use of Nixon Field for fund-raising during the annual Blueberry Festival.
Any IHSAA (Indiana High School Athletic Association) tourney facilities fees for use of Park property will be forwarded to the Park Department.
When the tennis courts are used for physical education classes by students from Lincoln Junior High School, they typically use only one-half of the area leaving open courts for the public to use.
The Park Department depends on the use of PHS in the event that a scheduled outdoor program is rained out and needs to be moved to an indoor facility or for any other unanticipated problems.
Both the Park Department and the Schools must provide an on-site manager when using each other‘s facilities.