Local coaches say new PERA field fee threatens access for youth sports

During public forum, Stanley Salas of PACE Florida told commissioners that travel teams which previously paid a modest fee to use public fields were recently notified of a new $100 charge for a two-hour practice. Salas said that while maintenance and lights cost money, "a $100 for a two hour practice is not a reasonable cost for a public recreation facility," and he urged the county to work with PERA to recover legitimate costs without making fields inaccessible to ordinary families and volunteer organizations.

Salas described prior informal arrangements that allowed travel teams to use fields when schedules did not conflict with recreation activities and asked the board to seek solutions that keep public parks affordable and available to youth sports.