Arguably, allowing for-profit businesses to use public parks free-of- charge to hold yoga classes or exercise boot camps hasn’t created a modern-day “tragedy of the commons,” something that happened in the past to when farmers were allowed to let their animals graze on town greens and unintentionally deplete them. But municipal parks and recreation officials across the country are wondering whether it’s fair to exempt these businesses from paying user fees. After all, these officials charge people for using tennis courts and other athletic facilities; families for using picnic shelters; and organizations for using the park to hold road races, benefit walks, and other events.
In Denver, officials are considering a tiered fee system. For-profit instructors would pay a flat use-fee that would vary depending on the time of day and a park’s popularity. For example, an instructor conducting a 90-minute class would pay $32.50 for using a popular park at peak time (5 to 8 am), regardless of the number of participants. Proponents say this practice would help manage the number of groups using the park, pay for increased maintenance costs, and fill local coffers, while putting these businesses on the same footing as others who pay to use a park’s facilities.
Some critics say the fees would unfairly burden the poor, drive park users to other towns that don’t impose such fees, and increase traffic.
Others say municipalities shouldn’t allow for-profit classes to be held in public spaces maintained with tax dollars. Doing so, they argue, would constitute “the socialization of overhead costs.”
Atlantic Cities has a discussion of the issue.
