City of Alameda Recreation and Park Commission Meeting - October 8, 2026

The City of Alameda Recreation and Park Commission met on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 2263 Santa Clara Avenue, Alameda, with in-person and Zoom participation available. The Commission approved the September minutes, held a workshop on the proposed 2027 Recreation and Parks user fee schedule, unanimously re-elected its Chair and Vice Chair, received staff and commissioner updates, and heard one non-agenda public comment.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the September 10, 2026 regular meeting minutes by a unanimous 5-0 roll-call vote. No commissioner requested removal and no public comment was offered.

Public Comments and Testimony

• Mark Klein, speaking during non-agenda public comment, said Alameda families struggle to find enough space to play. He cited a 2012 analysis projecting a shortfall of 14 fields by 2030, noted that Estuary Park added two fields but upcoming city and school district changes could cost about five more, and said courts face similar pressure. He urged the Commission to take a fresh look at near- and long-term capacity, highlighted Thompson Field as a near-term opportunity because it is central, has lights, and may be vacated in 2028 once the new Hornet Field is built, and asked the city to begin planning now to acquire it through the Surplus Land Act process. He offered to remain involved.
• No public comment was made on the consent calendar, fee workshop, or officer election.

Staff Communications

• Director Justin Long announced upcoming events, including the volunteer coastal cleanup at Seaplane Lagoon, the fifth annual Pride in the Park on October 10, International ShakeOut Day on October 15, the Alameda Walk Series, the 21st annual haunted house October 23-25, and the 46th annual holiday boutique November 7-8.
• Program updates included the winter/spring activity guide available by November 9, registration opening November 18, youth flag football with 50 participants ending November 21, free community recreation programs, and open registration for youth, teen, adult, older adult, and aquatics offerings.
• Project updates: the Light Ecker Park playground replacement is complete; Godfrey Park basketball court was replaced and is open; Estuary Park is in a punch-list/maintenance period and likely will open in mid-December with six pickleball courts, two dog parks, a basketball court, an inclusive playground, and a picnic area; the Emma Hood pool is expected to be done around the end of October, with locker room renovations continuing into early December and ARPD programming planned to start in January; and the new aquatic center has installed its first test pile.

Commissioner Communications

• Commissioner Bell announced his resignation from the Commission effective October 9, 2026, because he was appointed to the Alameda Unified School District Board of Education and will be sworn in on October 13. He read a letter to Mayor Ashcroft thanking the Commission and the Recreation and Parks Department. Other commissioners thanked him and congratulated him on the appointment and his wedding anniversary.

Discussion Items

• 2027 Fee Schedule Workshop: The Commission received a presentation from Director Long; no motion was made because this was a workshop. Staff proposed minimal fee increases, with most changes to non-resident and selected program rates. The department operates on a roughly $16 million general-fund budget with about 30 percent overall cost recovery; without fees, the general fund would need about $5 million more. Aquatics costs about $1.9 million per year and recovers about 22 percent, with roughly $486,000 in annual revenue. Community recreation has zero cost recovery and about $675,000 in annual spending. Field rentals recover about 14 percent of cost, have been raised $1 per hour per year for at least five years, and remain roughly $5-6 below market.
• Director Long described the fee philosophy as charging more for individual-benefit programs and less for broad community and senior programs, and said the department cannot charge full direct costs without making programs unaffordable. Outside instructor programs use revenue splits of 60/40 for on-site programs, 70/30 for off-site programs, and 75/25 at the senior center. He noted the Mastic Senior Center has about 4,500 members and a roughly $1.5 million endowment supporting low-cost classes.
• The city is replacing the ActiveNet registration system with Rec Tech, targeted to go live February 1, 2027. Consumers will pay a transaction fee of about 3.5 percent, with a range of 1-5 percent depending on payment method; no-fee options such as cash and check will remain. Passing the fee to users is expected to save the department about $250,000 a year and will add phone booking, digital swim passes, and easier calendars.
• Director Long reported that under the joint use agreement with AUSD, ARPD pays about 50 percent of pool salaries, utilities, and maintenance. This cost was about $430,000 last year and $585,000 the previous year. He also projected the future aquatic center operating budget at about $2.2 million.
• Commissioners asked whether any fees could be reduced, requested revenue-by-program analysis, asked how cost-recovery targets are set, and discussed the scale and reach of subsidies. Commissioner Bell asked whether lower fees could increase participation. Commissioner Burney expressed concern that rapid inflation may require larger fee increases and asked for analysis showing that proposed fees maintain current service levels. Another commissioner called for a more balanced approach to aquatics fee increases and for a principle that non-resident fees never be lower than resident fees. The Chair encouraged a broader subsidy policy discussion during the upcoming two-year city budget cycle, and commissioners also recommended stronger marketing of aquatics and other recreation programs.
• Chair and Vice Chair Election: Director Long explained that the Chair conducts meetings and the Vice Chair serves as backup. The incumbent Chair and Vice Chair Schwartz were nominated and re-elected by unanimous 5-0 roll-call vote for a one-year term.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the September 10, 2026 minutes 5-0.
• Re-elected the Chair and Vice Chair Schwartz 5-0.
• Received Commissioner Bell's resignation effective October 9, 2026, and discussed filling the vacancy soon.
• Directed staff to incorporate workshop feedback and return at the November 12, 2026 meeting with a final fee recommendation for City Council action at the first or second Council meeting in December.
• Targeted February 1, 2027 for the new Rec Tech registration/software system go-live.
• The next regular meeting is November 12, 2026; possible agenda items include the fee schedule recommendation, filling the Commission vacancy, tree planting/urban canopy, and review of the new booking software. The agenda stated November 12 as the next meeting, although the Chair's closing remark referenced December, which appears to be an error.