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Parks and Recreation Department Reservations:
Rental of Community Center gymnasiums and meeting rooms

The San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department's 26 year-round Community Centers have rooms and gyms available for rentals for family reunions, birthday parties, neighborhood meetings, and the many other functions planned by our citizens. The following are the basic guidelines for these rentals. For more details, please contact the Reservations office at 210-207-7275.

1. The Community Center staff cannot approve reservations. All reservations must be made through the Reservations Office.

2. You must be an adult, 18 years or older, to make a reservation.

3. Only one reservation at a time per group is allowed.

4. A community center or gym may be reserved only if it is closed to the public and free of any activity on any day of the week from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. If a reservation extends beyond these hours, a letter of request must be submitted to the superintendent of recreation services for approval. Reservations can be made up to 11 months in advance.

5. Prior approval is required for moonwalks and pinatas. Moonwalks must be outside the building. Horses, ponies, petting zoos, livestock, etc., are allowed outside. Pinatas are allowed inside the gym. All safety, security, insurance and liability of all spectators, participants and workers, whether volunteers or paid staff, will be the responsibility of the permit holder and/or the organization.

6. Permission for props or special effects for shows must be made in writing and have prior approval of the superintendent of recreation services. Approval must also be requested prior to circulating advertisements, flyers, posters and news releases to the general public.

7. The community center athletic equipment cannot be loaned out on reservations. Persons reserving a center are responsible for bringing their own equipment, such as a volleyball or basketball. However, at the permit holder's request, an employee on duty can set up volleyball nets. However, this does not include the balls or clocks.

8. City property is not to be removed from the building, to include tables and chairs.Tables and chairs are available at most centers. Contact the rental location in advance to determine how many will be available for your rental. The center staff will make available only those tables and chairs assigned to that facility.

9. Alcoholic beverages cannot be consumed in any of the community centers. Employees on duty and Park Police will ensure that this policy is followed.

10. Music is to be kept at a low volume so as not to disturb the surrounding area. The volume will be at the discretion of the employee on duty.

11. Bingo is allowed at a community center only if a State Bingo permit is obtained. Please submit a copy of such permit, along with the reservation request/letter to reservations. For information on obtaining a bingo permit, call 1-800-252-5555, 684-8652 (in San Antonio), or 925-6434 (southwest).

12. The number of people permited inside the community center at one time is determined by the guidelines set by the Fire Marshall.

13. All permit holders must have their permits with them upon entering the center. Permits are to be picked up from the Reservation Office or other locations at least one day in advance. Thursday is the cut-off date for picking up weekend permits.

14. The permit holder must do a general clean-up of the building after use.

15. Problems with the facility should be reported to the Reservations Office on the next business day. Employees are also required to call the Reservations Office to report problems on the first business day following a reservation.

Security Deposits

In addition to the permit fee, community center rentals, mass picnic facility rentals and park rentals for special events are subject to a security deposit. For community centers, that deposit is $50 for a non special event rental and $100 for a special event. The deposit varies for the other two categories, based on number of people expected to attend.

The deposit will be refunded if the site is left clean, in good order, and with no damage or theft of city property. The person renting the facility can pick up the refund after three days at the Reservations Office or the Community Link Service Centers.

Types of Events:

Security:

For security or to report any problem, contact the Park Police at 207-8590. Permit holders are responsible for hiring a certified law enforcement officer (these officers must be in full uniform and carry a gun) for the protection of the facility and its occupants, if the following applies:

The following scale determines the number of security officers needed:

No one will be allowed to enter your rental once you have reached the maximum number of people based on the number of security guards provided.

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