Aug. 11—The Kokomo Parks Board has switched to a flat, hourly rate for rentals of its three enclosed buildings.
The new rate for reserving time in Rodgers Pavilion, Bon Air Building and Country Club Hills Building will be $25 per hour. The board unanimously approved the change Tuesday morning. The new rate will be effective for any reservations made for dates in 2022 and onward.
Previously, the city charged $60 for one to four hours or $120 for more than four hours; that rate was first established in 2002.
The new hourly rate will save money for those who wish to only rent a building for one or two hours, but will be an increase in any other situation.
Torrey Roe, parks superintendent, justified the rate change by highlighting that the rate hadn't changed in nearly two decades and that the city has recently spent money on upgrades for the three buildings, including equipping all with air conditioning, new LED lights, new flooring and new paint.
"These are nicer buildings with more amenities than they used to have," Roe said. "If you were to compare our buildings and their amenities to any other in the city, I think you would find that we're still a bargain."
Tyler Juranovich can be reached at 765-454-8577, by email at tyler.juranovich@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter at @tylerjuranovich.