The Parks and Recreation revenue 2024-2025 is $2.228.000, meaning that only 10% of the money needed to operate our parks comes from rentals and programs. However, this amount increased in 2023. Doral could collect more money by changing the percentage paid to the city by academies and trainers that use our parks, obtaining a huge profit. In most cases, the city only takes 25% from them.
Residents complain because our parks are highly occupied and controlled by private businesses like leagues and trainers, who don’t allow everyone the enjoyment of fields and courts paid for by taxpayers. Disappointed visitors suggested a better revenue for the city since sustaining and operating the parks is made with taxpayers’ money.
Doral First Magazine (DFM) talked to Erin Sullivan (ES), Doral Parks & Recreation Director, to know the chances of increasing rates paid by contractors for using our parks.
DFM: The city only gets 25% from contractors like academies and trainers. Taxpayers provide the resources to sustain and operate our parks, and there is no fair revenue for the city. Is it viable to increase the percentage paid by contractors to the city?
ES: I think it would need to be evaluated and look at which programs, depending on the number of people, number of participants, or money that the organization is making. Programs like ballet with 20 little girls could be affected by increasing the percentage, same as art class, where there are only 6 or 7 kids once a week.
I think that we need to find the balance between making sure that the city is getting its fair share…Maybe we need to look into this, just to see in what cases it could go up to 30% or 40%…revenue is important for our department and important to the city, it is something that we track, something that when we are setting this contracts, this deals awarded by council, parks is not here to make money, in terms of mean profitable, we are a service, we want our residents to be able have their birthday party and afforded and be able to put their kids in ballet or whatever program.
Revenue is important because we want to make sure that we are getting some cost recovery to be able to continue keeping our parks fine and looking as they always look.
DFM: Approving a contractor company or individual requires checking that they have the knowledge and experience. How is the process to make sure that all providers have the skills and are responsible, especially when they are in contact with kids?
ES: The Contractor is an extension of the city, and we have to make sure that they have the experience, the right behavior, and customer service. When they do the bids, the request for the services, we set a specific criteria that they need to meet to qualify which is going to be evaluated by a committee and once they are awarded by council and they putted on an agreement, they have to keep up with what they’re doing and the city does surveys.
If you hear something or have an incident in your park, talk to our staff. People should report incidents so we will take care of any situation.
Rental and contracting revenue are not the only sources to help sustain and operate the parks.
