Swinging on swing sets, climbing on jungle gyms, and playing in the dirt on the baseball or softball fields are moments most children enjoy growing up. For years, kids have been making memories like these at the local parks and recreation areas in Yazoo City as they partake in community sports leagues or enjoy time out with their families.
The Yazoo City Parks and Recreation Commission is dedicated to providing the community with safe, reliable playground equipment and recreational areas and keeping its ball fields and courts up to date for every season.
However, they need help from the community to keep these areas clean and to ensure these places are well cared for so that children and adults can enjoy them for years to come.
The Yazoo Parks and Recreation Commission has rules, regulations, and procedures set in place regarding parks and their everyday use, as well as guidelines for organizations who want to use the parks for events or large gatherings, such a fundraisers, festivals, and tournaments. Some of these guidelines include prior notification of the event to the Parks and Recreation Office, and occasionally a security deposit may be required to maintain the parks after the event has occurred. These rules are in place to ensure the parks are properly managed, to prevent liabilities, and to draw income for the Parks and Recreation Budget.
"We have a lot of people who just go to the park and have a party and leave the trash, thinking that we are supposed to pick it up," said Sedric Hudson Sr., Parks and Recreation director, " If you are going to use the park, your responsibility of using the park is cleaning up behind yourself too."
Hudson mentioned that the process for hosting events at the Wardell Leach Sports Complex, and other parks around town, is to come to the Parks and Recreation Office and fill out a park rental form to reserve the time and date of the event. A refundable fee of $100 is included for parties and gatherings to ensure that visitors keep the properties clean after their event. They ask that deposits be made by check so that they can establish a paper trail with private individuals and organizations.
The director added that the parks are always open to individuals who want to use the facilities, such as the walking track, basketball courts, and playgrounds. Hudson is most concerned with how the public has misused the park in the past and wants to ensure that his office keeps up with everything that happens inside the parks areas, including fundraisers, festivals, birthday parties, large picnics, and tournaments.
The Parks and Recreation Office has a list of rules and regulations for all the parks and their amenities, including the swimming pool, baseball fields, and basketball courts.
"If anybody wants to have a tournament, it is a $250 deposit fee for a field reservation," said Hudson, "There is also $125 per field per day for lights, and $100 per field without lights, that's included with the deposit, which is non-refundable."
Hudson added that these deposits are necessary to make sure that the fields are prepared for the activities, and also to replace funding in their budget.
"We took a pay cut of over $20,000 this year," said Hudson, "The benefit of these rules is that it will put more money in our budget so we can have better programs for kids, and equipment for the parks like bases, t-ball stands, and other things to provide for the public."
The new director, who started on October 1, plans to review the current rules and regulations in use by the Parks and Recreation Commission and will make changes where necessary to make sure that programs will operate smoothly.
"More than likely it will be in January because I want to talk with the Dixie Youth Commissioners and other sports organizations," said Hudson, "I want to invite them to a Parks and Rec board meeting, express the way we are going to be moving forward, and about rental fees. They need to be on board so we can put money back into our budget because they are using the fields."
Hudson added that he intends to enforce the rules that are already in place. If he sees a problem inside the parks, he will address it personally and even involve the authorities if necessary to make sure that the parks are kept safe and secure.
If the public has questions or concerns regarding the parks and recreational areas in Yazoo City, or if an organization would like to host an event or a tournament, please contact the Parks and Recreation Office at 662-746-4981.
