Is the fee structure for Arlington’s gymnastics and aquatics teams appropriate?

Arlington County’s Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) operates these year-round youth sports teams:

• Girls gymnastics (Aerials);
• Boys gymnastics (Tigers); and
• Co-ed swimming (Arlington Aquatics Club, or AAC).

The teams train and compete in Arlington County facilities. As it does with all the programs it operates, DPR sets and collects the participation fees that team members pay each year. Children who reside in Arlington County may participate, along with non-residents. Families of non-resident team members pay a surcharge in addition to the participation fee.

DPR is taking steps to make team membership for residents a priority and the percentage of non-resident team members has declined in recent years as Arlington's school-aged population has surged.

Families of Arlington-resident members of these teams and the Arlington County Sports Commission raised concerns in mid-2014 about a proposal to adopt a uniform 50 percent non-resident surcharge, beginning in the 2015 (current) fiscal year. After public engagement and debate, this proposal was not implemented and the County Manager, as instructed by the County Board, established an Aquatics and Gymnastics Teams Work Group.

The work group is evaluating the participation fees and the non-resident surcharges now in place to determine whether they are appropriate. Later, in accordance with its charge, the work group will research and assess DPR's operating model for these teams.

The work group is seeking public input regarding DPR's fees and its fee-setting process. Your response to this survey will help inform its recommendations. You can find more information about the work group and this process on its website.

Please allow 8-10 minutes to complete this survey. Thank you for participating!

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