MONROE - The Monroe Parks and Recreation Department will begin taking shelter and community center reservations for 2009 on Friday, Jan. 2.
The department's doors will open at 6 a.m. to allow people to get out of the cold. Numbers will be handed out in the office, and department staff members will begin taking reservations at 7:30 a.m. Shelters are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
Businesses wishing to have a company picnic at one of the parks are encouraged to come in and make reservations on Jan. 2 or soon after. Phone reservations will not be permitted.
To determine if groups need a special event permit, the following questions will be asked on the reservation form:
• Will you have more than 300 people in attendance?
• Will you bring in outside attractions (ie dunk tank, inflatables, etc)?
• Are you going to pitch a canopy tent?
• Is your event open to the general public?
• Will you be charging admission, collection donations, or selling anything?
If any answer is yes, you will need to see the city clerk that day to obtain a special event permit. The city clerk will determine if a special event permit is needed after the necessary paperwork is completed.
The cost to rent a shelter is $45 for weekdays; $45 for a weekend day, without restrooms; $50 for a weekend with restrooms and which includes a beer permit if one is needed or; if your party is more than 300 people, the cost is $60 and includes a beer permit if one is needed. Payments are to be made within one working day after the reservation is made.
Gatherings with music or using a public address system must have a $10 per day PA Permit from the city clerk or deputy clerk.
The shelters available are:
• Recreation Park is a 12-acre park located at 16th Street and 22nd Avenue. The park has an Olympic-size, 50-meter heated pool with a new 1,963-square-foot wading pool with a zero-depth entrance that contains different water features, including an arch water jet, a twist and turn fountain, lemon drop geysers, shower tunnel and a duck slide. In addition to the new wading pool, the project includes adding a 143-foot water slide and plunge pool. Other park facilities include a lighted ball diamond, basketball court, four tennis courts, tennis practice board, two horseshoe pits and the Swiss A.L.P.S. Playground.
There are two shelter houses in Recreation Park.
The North Shelter House is located near the Swiss A.L.P.S. Cheeseland Playground. This shelter house seats 114 people, has five 20-amp receptacles, grill, drinking fountain located near the shelter, water spigot and bathroom facilities. The fee for the North Shelter is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
Recreation South is located close to Lake Francis and has seating for 100. It has four 20-amp receptacles, two fireplaces, grill, drinking fountain and a water spigot near the shelter. The fee for Recreation South is $45/weekday or weekend. Restroom facilities are located at the North Shelter House or at the swimming pool located in the park.
• Northeast Park is a 6-acre park located at 5th Street and 27th Avenue. The recreational facilities include a lighted softball/baseball diamond, three lighted tennis courts, a volleyball area and a playground area.
The shelter seats 96 people, has two 20 amp receptacles, drinking fountain, a water spigot on the drinking fountain near the parking lot, grill and restrooms. The fee is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
• Twining Park is the largest park within the City of Monroe. This 46-acre park is located beside 14th Avenue. It offers a variety of recreational facilities. A Swiss-style Bandshell offers band concerts and activities throughout the summer. There are two lighted softball diamonds, four lighted sand volleyball courts, four horseshoe pits, two tennis courts, two half-court basketball areas, a paved walkway, two playground equipment areas and a winding creek throughout the park.
There are three shelter houses located in Twining Park. Twining North is located near the exit of the park (near the YMCA). This shelter will seat 208 people, has four 20-amp receptacles, drinking fountain, three grills, a separate restroom building near the shelter which has two 20-amp receptacles, a drinking fountain and a water spigot. The fee is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
Twining South is located closest to the softball diamonds and small playground area. This shelter seats 80 people and has four 20-amp receptacles, two fireplaces, a drinking fountain, water spigot and restrooms. The fee is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
Twining West (the Bruni Shelter) is located closest to the sand volleyball courts. This shelter seats 72 people, has one 20 amp receptacle, one grill, a drinking fountain and a water spigot located outside the shelter. The fee is $45/weekday or weekend.
• Honeycreek Park is located on 4th Avenue West south of Wal-Mart. This is an 18-acre park which offers a quiet, natural setting. The park features three large prairie acres, three mini-rest shelters, a baseball backstop, a practice field area, two playground structures, soccer fields and a shelter.
The prairie has trails for walking enjoyment and informational signs explaining the different plants located throughout the prairies. The shelter seats 114 people, has two 20-amp receptacles, drinking fountain, water spigot, grill and restrooms. The fee is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
• Lincoln Park is a 1.5-acre park located in the central portion of Monroe at the corner of 19th Street and 16th Avenue. This park has a variety of playground equipment, a backstop, practice field area, a restroom facility and shelter house. The shelter seats 114 people, has two 20-amp receptacles, a grill, drinking fountain and water spigot which are located at the restroom facility. The fee is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
• Sunset West Park is a new park which covers 1.63 acres. This park is for small groups of 36 or less people and does not have restroom facilities. The cost to reserve this shelter is $25/weekday or weekend.
• The Community Center also can be rented for $60 for parties, family gatherings, reunions, etc. It offers a large hall and kitchen with a stove, microwave and refrigerator. There are 12 six-foot tables and 100 chairs that may be used.
• The Swiss-style Bandshell at Twining Park is used every Monday night in the summer for City Band practices and concerts. Ample seating is available in the natural amphitheater setting. The Bandshell can be rented for $80 for banquets, weddings, variety shows and other events.
• The Pool can be rented on Saturdays or Sundays from 11a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for birthday parties, reunions or work. The cost includes lifeguards, if you have a group of 1-25 people the cost is $60, 26-74 people is $80 and 75-plu people the cost is $100.
The department's doors will open at 6 a.m. to allow people to get out of the cold. Numbers will be handed out in the office, and department staff members will begin taking reservations at 7:30 a.m. Shelters are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.
Businesses wishing to have a company picnic at one of the parks are encouraged to come in and make reservations on Jan. 2 or soon after. Phone reservations will not be permitted.
To determine if groups need a special event permit, the following questions will be asked on the reservation form:
• Will you have more than 300 people in attendance?
• Will you bring in outside attractions (ie dunk tank, inflatables, etc)?
• Are you going to pitch a canopy tent?
• Is your event open to the general public?
• Will you be charging admission, collection donations, or selling anything?
If any answer is yes, you will need to see the city clerk that day to obtain a special event permit. The city clerk will determine if a special event permit is needed after the necessary paperwork is completed.
The cost to rent a shelter is $45 for weekdays; $45 for a weekend day, without restrooms; $50 for a weekend with restrooms and which includes a beer permit if one is needed or; if your party is more than 300 people, the cost is $60 and includes a beer permit if one is needed. Payments are to be made within one working day after the reservation is made.
Gatherings with music or using a public address system must have a $10 per day PA Permit from the city clerk or deputy clerk.
The shelters available are:
• Recreation Park is a 12-acre park located at 16th Street and 22nd Avenue. The park has an Olympic-size, 50-meter heated pool with a new 1,963-square-foot wading pool with a zero-depth entrance that contains different water features, including an arch water jet, a twist and turn fountain, lemon drop geysers, shower tunnel and a duck slide. In addition to the new wading pool, the project includes adding a 143-foot water slide and plunge pool. Other park facilities include a lighted ball diamond, basketball court, four tennis courts, tennis practice board, two horseshoe pits and the Swiss A.L.P.S. Playground.
There are two shelter houses in Recreation Park.
The North Shelter House is located near the Swiss A.L.P.S. Cheeseland Playground. This shelter house seats 114 people, has five 20-amp receptacles, grill, drinking fountain located near the shelter, water spigot and bathroom facilities. The fee for the North Shelter is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
Recreation South is located close to Lake Francis and has seating for 100. It has four 20-amp receptacles, two fireplaces, grill, drinking fountain and a water spigot near the shelter. The fee for Recreation South is $45/weekday or weekend. Restroom facilities are located at the North Shelter House or at the swimming pool located in the park.
• Northeast Park is a 6-acre park located at 5th Street and 27th Avenue. The recreational facilities include a lighted softball/baseball diamond, three lighted tennis courts, a volleyball area and a playground area.
The shelter seats 96 people, has two 20 amp receptacles, drinking fountain, a water spigot on the drinking fountain near the parking lot, grill and restrooms. The fee is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
• Twining Park is the largest park within the City of Monroe. This 46-acre park is located beside 14th Avenue. It offers a variety of recreational facilities. A Swiss-style Bandshell offers band concerts and activities throughout the summer. There are two lighted softball diamonds, four lighted sand volleyball courts, four horseshoe pits, two tennis courts, two half-court basketball areas, a paved walkway, two playground equipment areas and a winding creek throughout the park.
There are three shelter houses located in Twining Park. Twining North is located near the exit of the park (near the YMCA). This shelter will seat 208 people, has four 20-amp receptacles, drinking fountain, three grills, a separate restroom building near the shelter which has two 20-amp receptacles, a drinking fountain and a water spigot. The fee is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
Twining South is located closest to the softball diamonds and small playground area. This shelter seats 80 people and has four 20-amp receptacles, two fireplaces, a drinking fountain, water spigot and restrooms. The fee is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
Twining West (the Bruni Shelter) is located closest to the sand volleyball courts. This shelter seats 72 people, has one 20 amp receptacle, one grill, a drinking fountain and a water spigot located outside the shelter. The fee is $45/weekday or weekend.
• Honeycreek Park is located on 4th Avenue West south of Wal-Mart. This is an 18-acre park which offers a quiet, natural setting. The park features three large prairie acres, three mini-rest shelters, a baseball backstop, a practice field area, two playground structures, soccer fields and a shelter.
The prairie has trails for walking enjoyment and informational signs explaining the different plants located throughout the prairies. The shelter seats 114 people, has two 20-amp receptacles, drinking fountain, water spigot, grill and restrooms. The fee is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
• Lincoln Park is a 1.5-acre park located in the central portion of Monroe at the corner of 19th Street and 16th Avenue. This park has a variety of playground equipment, a backstop, practice field area, a restroom facility and shelter house. The shelter seats 114 people, has two 20-amp receptacles, a grill, drinking fountain and water spigot which are located at the restroom facility. The fee is $45/weekday or $50/weekend.
• Sunset West Park is a new park which covers 1.63 acres. This park is for small groups of 36 or less people and does not have restroom facilities. The cost to reserve this shelter is $25/weekday or weekend.
• The Community Center also can be rented for $60 for parties, family gatherings, reunions, etc. It offers a large hall and kitchen with a stove, microwave and refrigerator. There are 12 six-foot tables and 100 chairs that may be used.
• The Swiss-style Bandshell at Twining Park is used every Monday night in the summer for City Band practices and concerts. Ample seating is available in the natural amphitheater setting. The Bandshell can be rented for $80 for banquets, weddings, variety shows and other events.
• The Pool can be rented on Saturdays or Sundays from 11a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for birthday parties, reunions or work. The cost includes lifeguards, if you have a group of 1-25 people the cost is $60, 26-74 people is $80 and 75-plu people the cost is $100.