The Town of Markham recognizes the many benefits of the sport environment – whether it be skill, character or leadership development, physical, social or emotional – and will strive to ensure all Markham residents have opportunity to experience these benefits in a manner that is meaningful for each individual.

 

Guiding Principles:

o   Cricket Pitches are built by, and funded for Markham residents.

o   All members of the community should have opportunity to access Cricket Pitches regardless of physical, financial, social or environmental barriers.

o   Parks serve as a fabric of the community creating opportunities for individuals to connect to one another and the community.

o   Parks provide an excellent environment to promote, encourage and facilitate lifelong active living.

 

Policy Principles:

o   Allocations will be handled in an open and transparent environment.

o   An Allocation Policy will ensure the distribution of time in a fair and equitable manner, respecting issues of accessibility.

o   In the event of a scheduling dispute, the Facility Allocations Coordinator will facilitate an open and transparent session with affected User Groups to resolve the dispute, considering historical usage as a factor in dispute resolution. 

o   Allocations will be reviewed on an annual basis.

o   Groups meeting Markham residency requirements will receive priority.

o   Where facility demand exceeds supply, the Town may have to limit the emergence of new user groups or may have to cap registrations of existing user groups.

o   Youth (defined as individuals 17 years of age or younger) should receive preference of hours when allocating time.

 

 

1.0                      CRICKET PITCH ALLOCATION

1.1           Staff will endeavour to complete the  allocation process in January with final confirmation issues in February for the summer season of May to September.

 

1.2           Allocated  time for recognized Community Service Groups will be booked under individual contracts at the appropriate rates.

 

1.3           Allocated  times must be used solely by the user group identified on the contract and by the designated category of participation, i.e.; Minor, Adult, etc.  Time must not be allocated as minor and used otherwise.

 

1.4           Users with outstanding balances will not be issued permits.

 

1.5           Transfer or Sublet Prohibited                                                                                                                         No person, organization, association or community service group shall transfer, sublet or permit to be transferred or sublet, any allocation, or part thereof, for value or otherwise.  If any person, organization association or community services group transfers or sublets any  allocation or any part thereof, or permits such transfer or sublet, their facility rental contract shall be terminated without notice and the Town shall refund the permit fee on a prorated basis.

 

1.6           The facility rental contract is not effective unless and until the permit fee has been paid in full.

1.7           Allocation Time Periods                                                                                                                                            The allocation process for the Town of Markham covers the fair and equitable distribution of hours in the following blocks:

                                               

                                Weekends             8:00 am to 12 Noon

                                & Holidays           1:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

**Note:  Weekday evening time slots can be permitted but will be done as casual rentals outside the   context of the Allocation Policy.**

 

1.8           Cricket Pitch allocation meetings will be held annually to review Allocations for the forthcoming season. 

 

2.0          CLUB SIZE AND EMERGENCE OF NEW CLUBS

 

2.1           Until new Cricket Pitches are added to the inventory, the Town of Markham may limit or restrict the number of new groups that are allocated time.

 

3.0                      GROUPS DEFINED IN ORDER OF PRIORITY

 

3.1           Youth Groups

§  Those groups recognized by a provincial sporting organization within a six month period of allocation process and mainly operated by volunteers for organized activities for youth  aged 6 through 17 years of age   

§  Recognized as a Community Service Group as defined by the Town of Markham Community Service Group definition, as per policy PO 02.01.

§  While groups may have non Markham residents, only Markham residents will be considered for the purposes of allocation

 

3.2           Adult Groups

§  Those persons who pay property taxes to the Corporation of the Town of Markham

§  Participants 18 years of age and older

§  Recognized as a Community Service Group as defined by the Town of Markham Community Service Group definition, as per policy PO 02.01.

§  While groups may have non Markham residents, a minimum of 75% of total participants must be Markham residents in order to qualify for allocated time.  Then only Markham residents will be considered for the purposes of allocation

 

4.0                 FIELD CLASSIFICATIONS

 

4.1           The Town of Markham will classify the three current Cricket Pitches as follows:

CLASS A – Fairtree Park

   CLASS B – The two pitches at McCowan Reservoir

 

5.0                      ALLOCATION  PROCESS                                                                                                                                   The following allocation formula is used to calculate entitlement:

i)                     Determine total number of participants for each User Group

ii)                   Determine % of total Markham Resident Participants enrolled in each User Group

iii)                  Distribute corresponding % of CLASS A Field morning time slots to each User Group

iv)                 Distribute corresponding % of CLASS A Field afternoon time slots to each User Group.

v)                   Distribute corresponding % of CLASS B Field morning time slots to each User Group.

vi)                 Distribute corresponding % of CLASS B Field afternoon time slots to each User Group.

 

5.1           Application packages will be mailed out by October. Applications will be due back by November.  User groups will be required to submit a completed application form including the following information.

 

5.1.1           Previous year’s rosters with names, addresses, postal codes and ages of participants.  All rosters will be audited through a variety of techniques

 

5.1.2           Primary and Secondary contact person

 

5.1.3           Current Executive/Board list including position, telephone,  and e-mail address of the executive for that year

 

5.1.4           Copy of Annual General Meeting minutes and financial statements

 

5.1.5           Copy of current General Liability Insurance in the amount of two million dollars naming the Corporation of the Town of Markham as an additional insured covering all participants making use of allocated time.

 

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

 

6.0                      SEASON

 

6.1           Staff will determine allocations on an annual basis. The  season will be as follows:

 

                                                May to September (Exact start and end dates subject to weather)

 

7.0                      POLICY ENFORCEMENT:                                                                                                              The following forms of policy enforcements will be in effect:

 

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

Step One

§  The permitted group will be contacted and informed the Cricket Pitch was unused and asked to explain why.  This will be documented and tracked. 

 

Step Two

§  If the same group is found to have permitted a Cricket Pitch 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 will be removed.

 

Step Three

§  If the Cricket Pitch 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.

 

7.2           Teams using Cricket Pitches outside of their permitted period may have their permit suspended for a two‑week period.

 

7.3           Misuse of the Cricket Pitch may result in suspension of permit.

 

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

 

 

8.0                      SPECIAL EVENT REQUIREMENTS

 

8.1           It is the requirement of all persons who have permits to adhere to the concession agreement

 

8.2           Additional staff services, and Town Amenities must be requested a minimum of fourteen (14) days in advance of the tournament at an additional fee.

 

8.3           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 field permits.  Rentals of indoor facilities are to be booked by the user group through the Facility Coordinator and /or Facility booking staff.