A.      STATEMENT:

 

This policy will be used in the allocation of outdoor soccer sports field time within the Town of Markham.  Residents of the Town will be given priority.  All soccer sports field permits will be issued according to this policy.

 

 

B.     GROUPS DEFINED IN ORDER OF PRIORITY:

 

The definitions below list the priority ranking for regular season and tournament field allocation.  Field allocation will be based on final registration figures from the previous season.priority may be given to previous year’s permit holder for that field/time.

 

Youth Soccer Groups

·         Those groups recognized by the Ontario Soccer Association and mainly operated by volunteers for organized activities for youth 21 years of age and younger.

·         75% of the players must be Town of Markham residents.

 

Resident/Adult Groups

·         Those persons who pay residential taxes to the Corporation of the Town of Markham.

·         Resident groups must consist of a minimum of 75% of such residents or be a non-profit or charitable organization or recognized community service group wishing to raise funds for the benefit of the community (house league and rep teams).

·         Teams of adult players employed by a Markham-based company playing teams from Markham-based companies

·         Players 21 years of age and older

·         75% of players are Markham residents

 

Commercial Groups

·         Those persons, groups or associations who do not meet the criteria established for resident or minor use and wishing to use soccer sports fields for recreation purposes.

 

 

C.     PRIME AND NON-PRIME TIME FOR REGULAR LEAGUE PLAY:

 

Prime time shall be from 4:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9:00 a.m. through 11:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

 

Non-prime time shall be from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday

 

The Manager, Parks Maintenance, reserves the right to cancel any permit due to inclement weather.  If a visual inspection by Parks personnel shows one inch or more of rainfall on the field, the Permit Co-ordinator will be instructed to cancel the permit for the specific field on that particular day.

 

D.     ALLOCATIONS :

The following allocation formula will be applied:

 

         LEAGUE                                              Total minutes allocated for each team (game+practise)

         Cricket                                                                                                    4 hours

         Football/Rugby                                                                                       90 minutes

 

Soccer – House League/Recreational

Micro (U-04 to U-07)                                                                          9060 minutes  

Mini (U-07 to U-11)                                                                           180 60 minutes 

Youth (U-12 to U-21)                                                                        180 105minutes

 

Soccer – Competitive/Rep and Select 

Mini (U-06 to U-11)                                                                           240 210 minutes           

Youth (U-12 to U-18)                                                                        480 360minutes

Senior Youth (U-19 to U-21)                                                            360 210minutes

 

Soccer – Adult

All (Over 21)                                                                                     180 180 minutes           

 

Soccer – Summer Training Camps

 

 

PLAYERS PER TEAM                              Recreational                    Competitive/Select

 

Micro                                                                  7                                       N/A

Mini                                                                  10                                         10

Youth                                                               14                                         14

Senior Youth                                                    16                                         16

Adult                                                                 16                                         16          

           

1.            Seasonal requests are to be received in writing by during the before the end of the first quarter (March) of the upcoming season­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­. 

 

2.            Leagues will be required to submit the previous years team numbers, specifying representative and house league team (if applicable) with postal codes to verify that league has 75% residents.   All Information must be received by April 1 in each year.

 

3.            FINAL PERMITS WILL NOT BE ISSUED until the following items are received:

 

·               A completed application form including a primary and secondary contact person

·               Telephone and address of the executive for that year

·               A copy of the field allocation plan from the user group by May 30

·               A summary of registered players by June 30

 

If this information is not received, a sport field permits may be suspended and future requests for permits may not be issued. The permit time will be reallocated.

 

1.            When allocating permit requests, each evening will be divided into the following time slots:

            Soccer

                                    6:30pm – 8:30pm. Unlit fields

                                    6:30pm – 11:00pm Lit fields

 

Sports field allocation meetings will be held annually following the deadline for application submission.  Scheduling conflicts will be resolved at the discretion of the Permits Co-ordinator.

 

 

E.      SEASON:

 

Staff will determine field allocations on an annual basis. The outdoor sports field season will be as follows:

 

Regular Season

Soccer Fields - May 1 (weather permitting) to September 30

 

Extended Season

Soccer Fields – at the discretion of the Park Department

Football/Rugby Fields – May 1 to second Sunday in November

 

After September

Football, Rugby and Soccer will be permitted at selected fields determined by the Parks Manager.

 

The Parks Manager reserves the right to cancel any permit due to inclement weather.  If a visual inspection by Parks personnel shows one inch or more of rainfall on the field, the staff responsible for sport field permits will be instructed to cancel the permit for the specific field on that particular day.

 

If a league is in the playoffs and the playoffs are not completed by the end of the season deadline, a regulation field may be provided for games at the recommendation of the Manager, Parks Maintenance.  Leagues are encouraged to complete play within the regular permitted season.

 

 

F.      PRACTICE FACILITIES:

 

Practice facility requests are to be submitted with game permit requests by one representative from each league.

 

1.      Practices will not be permitted on any of the ‘A’ type soccer fields.

 

2.      The fall fields will be allocated to the user groups based upon field recommendations from the Manager, Parks Maintenance.

 

 

G.     BASIC SERVICES - REGULAR SEASON PLAY:

 

1.      Grass mowing for sports facilities is performed on a seven-day rotation on ‘A & B’ fields, as per our turf maintenance schedule, ’C’ fields will be mowed on a 7 - 10 day rotation, ’D’ fields will cut as required.

 

2.      Soccer fields that have irrigation systems will be watered as required.

 

3.      Inclement weather may alter mowing schedule.

 

4.      GROUPS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN CLEAN UP AFTER EACH EVENT.  Failure to do so will result in the suspension of permits.

 

5.      The permit holder through the York Region Board of Education must make requests for use of school washrooms.

 

H.     POLICY ENFORCEMENT:

 

The following forms of policy enforcement will be in effect:

 

 

 

1.      Field audits will be conducted on a random basis.  A three-step process will be used in the event that there are permitted fields not being used during these audits. 

 
Step One

o        The permitted group will be contacted and informed the field was unused and asked to explain why.  This will be documented and tracked.  The group will be informed that booking fields and not using them is unacceptable.

 

Step Two

o        If the same group is found to have permitted a field and it has not been used, the group will receive a written letter identifying that if a third audit reveals an unused booking, the permit for the field will be removed.

 

Step Three

o        If field is unused, remove permit.  User group will be informed that the permit has been removed.  Future permit requests will be subject to discretion of staff.

 

2.   Snow fencing will be placed across tournament facilities and fields undergoing maintenance to prevent misuse.

 

3.   Teams using fields outside of their permitted period, or playing under adverse weather or field conditions, will have their permit suspended for a two‑week period.

 

4.   Misuse of sports field, excessive noise after 11:00 p.m. or vandalism of facilities will result in suspension of permit.

 

5.   During permitted events, all cars must remain within designated parking areas unless given prior written permission.

 

6.   User groups having or drinking alcoholic beverages at parks without a Liquor Licence will have their permit suspended.  Continued infractions will lead to the refusal of further permit applications and possible charges under by-law or provincial statute.

 

I.       SPORTSFIELD LIGHT CHARGES:

 

Lighted facilities are available on the following schedule:

 

·         First Saturday in May to July 15 - 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

·         July 16 to end of season - 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.

 

Groups using lighted facilities will be charged for each evening of play.  Teams are encouraged to check that lights are in working order prior to each game.  Invoice adjustments for power failures will only be taken into consideration if the on-call person was contacted and could not rectify the situation.

 

J.      FIELD CHARGES:

 

·         See Schedule ‘A’ for charges and field designations

·         Users with outstanding balances will not be issued new permits

·         Permits under $25.00 will not be invoiced and must be prepaid

·         Invoices are payable upon receipt

 

K.     TOURNAMENT ALLOCATIONS:

 

Requests for tournaments or special events must be made at the same time as regular season permits.  Staff responsible for sport filed permits will strive to reach an equitable balance between local user groups and tournament organizers.

 

Tournament applications must be accompanied by proper approvals from the relevant organization that has jurisdiction over the activities of the tournament organizer.  The Ontario Soccer Association or the York Region Soccer Association to ensure compliance with tournament protocol and supervision must approve all soccer tournaments.

 

1.      All regular season permit holders must submit request for Tournament permits at the same time as the regular season permits.

2.      The Permit Coordinator will make every attempt to allocate fields not already permitted.

3.      Tournaments that operate at multiple sport fields over one or more days will be allocated two hours per game. Tournament organizers must submit the number of entered teams and the number of games guaranteed to each team entered in the tournament in order to receive correct time allocation.

4.      One-day tournaments at one location will be provided time requested based on availability.

 

 

L.      TOURNAMENT SERVICES PROVIDED:

 

1.      All soccer fields will be mowed and lined prior to the start of each tournament.

 

2.      Portable washrooms, where necessary, are the responsibility of the group hosting the tournament.

 

3.      Additional services must be requested a minimum of fourteen (14) days in advance of the Tournament.

 

 

M.     ADDITIONAL SERVICES - SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE FEES:

 

·         Delivery of picnic tables and garbage cans - a load consists of 8 tables and 3 garbage receptacles

·         Delivery of snow fencing - one load consists of 500 feet of fencing and 20 posts.  Set up is the responsibility of the user group.

·         It is the responsibility of the permit holder to obtain the necessary L.L.B.O. permits.  Arrangements for outdoor beer gardens should be discussed with staff responsible for sport filed permits.  Rentals of indoor arena pads are to be booked by the user group through the Facility Co-ordinator and/ or Facility booking staff. 

·         It is in the Town of Markham’s best interest to support our concessionaires - as in the case of Milliken Mills Community Centre, it is the requirement of all persons who have permits in the park to adhere to the concession agreement

·         Staff services are available, on a 100% cost recovery basis, in no less than one four‑hour block, and then as per the user group's additional request for more than four hours.