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Procedure

Procedure 10400.1 - Community Use of Facilities & Grounds


1. 

SCOPE

This regulation encompasses community and internal use of all School District #36 (Surrey) facilities and grounds during both school operating hours (7am – 5pm on school days) and during non-school operating hours, with the exception of the Bell Performing Arts Centre.

2. 

REVENUE DISTRIBUTION

Rental revenue shall be distributed in the following manner:
a) 
Thirty-five percent (35%) shall be directed to a school site that hosts a rental for facilitating the access.
b) 
Sixty-five percent (65%) of school-based rental revenue, and 100% of all non-school site rentals, shall be retained by the district to offset costs of utilities, maintenance, administration, and depreciation through use.
c) 
One hundred percent (100%) of revenue from equipment rental fees shall be directed to the host school site where the school purchased the equipment originally.
Charges for hard costs will be retained by the district.
For uses of school facilities or grounds that are at no charge, and where there is no benefit to the school, an imputed thirty-five percent (35%) of the Non- Profit Rental Rate charge will be directed to the school for facilitating the access.
The host school does not receive a portion of revenue from rentals of the Bell Performing Arts Centre (BPAC); however, the school does receive the prescribed portion of revenue from rentals of classrooms, gyms and other school spaces.

3. 

APPLICATION PROCESS FOR USE OF SCHOOL SPACE DURING NON- SCHOOL HOURS

To request use of space during non-school operating hours (anytime other than school days 7am – 5pm), internal and external user groups will complete an online booking request. User groups are not permitted to approach schools directly.
Internal user groups must submit online booking requests to Rentals in these situations:
a) 
Where the request is for space other than in their own home school
b) 
Where the request is for space, including in their own home school, on weekends and during school closures, or where the use requires associated custodial, security or heating and ventilation services.
The Facility Rentals Department (Rentals) will secure the necessary approvals of the Principal/Building Manager for Facility/Grounds request where necessary
User groups have right-of-first refusal to rent the same time, day, and school space (this does not apply to DEC/REC or BPAC space) in the proceeding year, provided that A. the district or a school do not require use of that space and B such group submits an online booking request by the booking deadline as posted on the Rentals webpage.
New booking requests are accepted year-round, however, to ensure best availability, user groups should apply by the booking application deadlines.

4. 

IDENTIFYING AVAILABLE SCHOOL HOUR SPACE

From time to time, the District identifies space that may be made available for use by the community during school hours (7am – 5pm on school days – note, where a booking block starts during school hours the entire rental period will be considered a school hour booking).
Rentals will, in consultation with the site Principal and Assistant Superintendent, assess whether identified space is appropriate for use during school time and for what purposes ie: childcare, community offices, support programs or similar. A Principal may deny access to space during school hours where it can be shown that access will cause disruption to school operations or classes.

5. 

SPACE FOR CHILDCARE

The district recognizes the critical need for childcare programming across Surrey and White Rock. And, as set out in the August 31, 2020 order from the Minister of Education, the district prioritizes the use of available school hour space for use by licensed childcare providers.
The district works with childcare operators to launch operations in every available space and to consider all methods of making childcare programs viable, recognizing need in some areas may be greater than others, but that need persists across the district. Where necessary, children may be bussed by childcare operators to childcare centres in schools where need is not as great in that particular community. The district works with childcare providers to send out surveys and information regarding childcare programs and to encourage registration and ensure family awareness of programs.
The district confers with community regarding the needs and criteria for childcare spaces through ongoing participation in the Surrey Childcare Task force and through the District Parent Advisory Council and Parent Advisory Councils, and through the district’s Indigenous Education Council.
Fees for the use of district property by childcare operators will not exceed the direct and indirect costs the district incurs in making property available for licensed childcare programs.

6. 

APPLICATION PROCESS FOR USE OF SCHOOL SPACE DURING SCHOOL HOURS

To request use of space during school operating hours (7am – 5pm on school days), user groups will complete an online booking request. Process and requirements to apply for use of school hour space in schools will be posted on the Rentals webpage.
The facility rental department will maintain a rolling wait list of applicants seeking use of space during school hours. Along with the Principal and others, Rentals will confirm a list of criteria for the use of EACH identified space, prioritizing use of spaces for childcare where possible. Criteria may include type of childcare program, hours of operations, languages spoken. In allocating space to childcare operators, the district will give special consideration to those operators who provide childcare that is inclusive, consistent with the principals of non- discrimination set out in the BC Human Rights Code, and which foster Indigenous reconciliation.
Applications for school hour use may require these or other items: a business plan, resume, references, criminal record checks, confirmation of financial capacity, staff training summary and, if a childcare program, operator’s plans to incorporate Early Learning Framework, the principles of BC Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and inclusivity practices (where childcare providers require information or assistance in this regard, the district will provide information and opportunities for training).

7. 

APPLICATION PROCESS TO REQUEST USE OF DISTRICT EDUCATION CENTRE (DEC) OR RESOURCE AND EDUCATION CENTRE (REC) MEETING SPACES:

Limited meeting space at the DEC and REC campus are available for community and district staff use.
Allocation of meeting space at DEC and REC shall be made on the basis of the following priorities:
a) 
Superintendents Department and Secretary Treasurer’s Department
b) 
All other requests by staff and Departments located at DEC and REC
c) 
All other requests including school and community requests
Bookings may be bumped at any time if a priority user requires access to meeting space.
Bookings are accepted throughout the year, however, to ensure priority access, all DEC and REC based staff and departments are asked to submit requests by May 15 of the preceding year.
Booking requests for DEC and REC are submitted to the following departments:
All DEC/REC staff: all DEC/REC room requests to Administrative Services – see their webpage.
All school-based staff: DEC/REC room requests Monday to Friday, 730 am – 4pm to Administrative Services – see their webpage.
All school-based staff: DEC/REC room requests at any other times to Rentals – see their webpage.
Community User Groups: all DEC/REC room requests to Rentals – see their webpage.

8. 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The Terms and Conditions for all rentals which include information regarding rules, loss, theft and insurance coverage will be posted on the Rentals webpage.
All community and internal user groups using space at DEC and REC will be required to use the district’s catering service to provide any food and beverages to be served.

9. 

RENTAL RATES

Rental rates including rates for space use, custodial, security, taxes, equipment use and other fees will be posted on the Rentals webpage.
User groups may be required to pay a deposit in advance of a rental as determined by Rentals.
Requests for access to space which is not covered in the rates may be submitted in writing, to Rentals for review. Charges for special request situations shall be set on an individual basis and approved by the Secretary-Treasurer or designate.
District staff will receive no discount on rental fees when booking for non-district related purposes.

10. 

RENTAL PAYMENT TERMS

User groups are required to pay for their rental license in advance of their first rental day as outlined here:
For rental Licenses of less than $600, the user must pay the full amount by cash, credit card, debit card a minimum of one day in advance of the first day of use, or by cheque a minimum of five business days in advance of the first day of use.
For rental Licenses of $600 or more, full payment by cash, credit card or debit card a minimum of one day in advance of the first day of use; or on a postdated cheque dated no later than 5 business days prior to the first day of usage or by a series of monthly post-dated cheques or credit card payment authorizations for the term of the License must be submitted at the time of License signing
Failure by user groups to submit appropriate payment in advance of their rental will result in the immediate cancellation of the rental License.

11. 

WAIVER OF RENTAL FEES

All requests for the waiving of rental fees must be submitted in writing to Rentals for consideration.
Where a rental group has donated in cash, or in kind, to the school district, fifty percent (50%) of the retail or designated value of the donation may be applied as a credit to a rental contract. Note that the rental credit does not apply to that portion of a donation for which an official donation receipt for tax purposes was issued by the school district. Rental credit may be applied to hourly rental fees only; hard costs such as custodial, security or supervision cannot be covered by a rental credit.
Rental fees may be waived where there is a pre-existing agreement with the school district signed by the Secretary Treasurer or an Assistant Secretary Treasurer.
Rental fees may also be waived, where the following conditions are met. The final decision on whether to waive fees will be made in the sole discretion of Rentals management
a) 
There is no charge, real or by donation, to participants or spectators in the program for which the space is rented.
b) 
Only Surrey School District students or staff are involved in the program being run in the space being used.
c) 
District Staff identify students/families/staff for participation.
d) 
District Staff provide input into the structure and components of the program.
e) 
The program is deemed of value to district students.

12. 

FIELD RENTALS

The district does not make secondary school grass fields available for rent.
To maintain field conditions, the district limits the number of elementary irrigated grass fields it makes available for rent each year and the number of hours available on each rentable field to 6 hours per week. Rentals will post on their webpage each year available irrigated fields. These designated fields are available to rent during September-June each school year.
If Rentals receives more requests for grass field access time than they are able to accommodate, field space will be allocated considering each group’s historical field use, size and make-up of the organization and number of hours requested.
The district rents non irrigated fields in ‘as is’ condition during March-September only each year. All weather fields are available at many sites and can be rented throughout the year and hours of play are not limited.
Historical irrigated field user groups do not get first right of refusal for the same space and time as they held in the preceding year. Because irrigated field availability changes each year and community needs change significantly each year, all irrigated field requests will be considered together and new each year.

13. 

CANCELLATION, TERMINATION, PRE-EMPTION OF USE

Where the user group wishes to cancel or amend a signed License, this must be done by providing notice in writing to Facility Rentals 5 business days in advance, by email at rentals@surreyschools.ca, fax (604) 595-6083, or by mail (14033 – 92nd Avenue, Surrey, BC V3V 0B7). Failure to meet the deadline will result in the user group being charged the full amount of the original request.
User groups will be charged an amendment fee of $25 for any changes that the group requests after the application has been submitted.
The user group acknowledges that its use of facilities may be pre-empted, cancelled or revoked at the discretion of the district. In such cases, the district will endeavor to provide the user group with appropriate notice. Substitute space in the district will not normally be made available and the user group will have no preferential or historical rights to any facilities that are available, or become available, which are not covered on the user group’s License. A full refund or credit will be provided.
The Facility Rental Department may revoke approval of a Facility/Grounds Rental Contract where the user is unable to satisfy concerns expressed by the Principal/Building Manager or the Facility Rentals Department. Claims of unreasonably revoked approval shall be adjudicated by the Secretary-Treasurer.

14. 

REPORTS ON USERS

Reports of damage, or misconduct by a user group will be submitted by the Principal/Building Manager/Custodian or designate to the Manager, Business Development with a copy to the Manager, Service Operations.

15. 

SMOKING, VAPING, CANNABIS, ILLEGAL DRUGS & ALCOHOL

The user group shall ensure that there is no smoking, vaping or the use of cannabis or illegal drugs in District Facilities or on district grounds by any of the user group’s employees, volunteers, clients or invitees. If smoking, vaping or the use of cannabis or illegal drugs persists, the Rental License will be cancelled immediately.
The Cannabis Control and Licensing Act prohibits the consumption of cannabis on School District property or within a prescribed distance from school property.
External user groups may request to serve alcohol at an event where an approved License has been obtained from the Facility Rentals Department. Requests to serve alcohol must be approved by the Secretary- Treasurer or designate, in writing, before the rental date. Alcohol may not be served by district, school, PAC or other internal school district user groups.
In addition to approval from the Secretary-Treasurer, the Liquor Control and Licensing Act requires user group to obtain a Special Occasion License from the RCMP when serving alcohol.


Revised:2021-06-09
2013-11-06
2008-05-28
2007-02-27
2006-05-10
2006-02-14
2004-11-23
2004-02-03
Approved:2003-06-30
XRef.:Policy #6512
Policy #6802
Policy #10405
Policy #10410
Policy #10415
Reg.    #10800.4

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