Please ensure you have fully read and understood the following terms and conditions. These are your responsibilities as the hirer when booking a sports park.

1. Use of sports fields

The hirer may use the specified sports field for the purpose of the playing of sport during the time of their booking. The hirer may only use the sport field on the days and during the time periods of the day specified in their booking.

2. Use of changing rooms and toilets

The hirer may during their booking, use any changing rooms (available via booking) or public toilet facilities (available at all times) that may be provided by the Council at the relevant sports field.

3. Council obligations

The Council will:

  1. provide, manage and maintain the sports grounds in a clean, tidy, safe, functional and equitable manner in accordance with the Long Term Plan 2018-28 and the Council’s Service Plan for Parks and Foreshore;
  2. ensure that toilets available for public use are cleaned at least weekly;
  3. provide details (on request) of the local park rangers who can be contacted through the Council Customer Contact Centre on 03 941 8999, 7 days a week;
  4. empty the rubbish bins on the parks regularly; and
  5. provide keys to changing facilities to the hirer as appropriate, at the hirer’s cost.

4. Hirer’s obligations

The hirer will not:

  1. use or allow the Sports Fields to be used for any activity other than the playing of the sport intended to be played on the Sports Fields or for which they were designed, nor to make any alterations or additions to the Sports Fields;
  2. cause any damage or harm to the Sports Fields, changing rooms and toilets;
  3. use or allow the Sports Fields to be used in a manner which may cause a nuisance, disturbance or annoyance to the owners of any properties neighbouring the Sports Fields, and in particular will use reasonable endeavours to minimise any negative impacts of car parking by Sports Field users on neighbouring properties and to limit, where reasonably possible, the intrusion of balls onto neighbouring properties. Stray balls must not be retrieved from neighbouring properties without first seeking the permission of the occupier. Any damage caused to a neighbouring property arising from use by the hirer of the Sports Fields during the booking is the responsibility of the hirer;
  4. use any of the Council’s equipment, fittings or fixtures such as, but not limited to the Sports Fields, showers, sinks, toilets, heating and ventilation systems other than for their designated purpose.
  5. store or use flammable or dangerous substances in any changing rooms, storage facilities or toilet building;
  6. use the changing rooms, storage facilities or toilet building in any noisy, noxious, illegal or offensive manner or for any illegal purpose (for the avoidance of doubt smoking in changing rooms, storage facilities or toilet buildings is not permitted in accordance with the Council’s Smokefree and Vapefree Public Places Policy);
  7. deposit any substance or matter in the toilets, sinks and drains which could cause damage or blockage;
  8. allow animals in the changing rooms, storage facilities or toilet buildings;
  9. sell or consume alcohol in the changing rooms, storage facilities or toilet building or on the Sports Fields.

5. Hirer’s additional obligations

The hirer uses the Sports Fields at its own risk including where applicable the use of any changing rooms and toilets. The hirer must ensure that:

  1. all changing rooms and toilets are kept in a clean and tidy state, rubbish is removed after use and the changing rooms and toilets (as applicable) are locked up after use;
  2. the Sports Fields are kept clean and tidy, that rubbish is removed from the Sports Fields and immediate surrounding areas and that the Sports Fields are used in the most efficient and effective manner possible; and
  3. the Council is able to access the Sports Fields at any time in order to monitor and maintain playing surfaces and other facilities.

6. Keys

All keys allocated to the hirer for toilets, changing rooms and field access are to be well managed and must be returned to the Council at the end of the booking. Failure to do so will result in the hirer being liable to reimburse the Council upon demand for the full costs of replacing all required keys and locks.

7. Damage

The hirer is responsible for any damage (other than fair wear and tear) caused to the Sports Fields, changing rooms or toilets during the booking, including but not limited to any damage to any sports infrastructure (fields), any damage to any furniture, fixtures and fittings. The hirer must promptly report such damage to the Council and must reimburse the Council upon demand for the costs incurred by the Council in completing any repairs reasonably considered by the Council to be necessary to rectify or make good that damage.

8. Indemnity

The hirer hereby indemnifies and holds the Council harmless against all claims, actions, losses and expenses of any nature which the Council may suffer or incur or for which the Council may become liable in respect of or arising directly or indirectly out of:

  1. any use by the hirer of the Sports Fields, any changing rooms or toilet building or any of the utilities in any changing room or toilet building;
  2. any accident, damage or theft to property or any person arising from any occurrence in or near the Sports Fields, changing room or toilet buildings wholly or in part by reason of any act or omission by the hirer; and
  3. any breach by the hirer of any of the terms and conditions of this agreement.

9. Inspection

The Council may inspect the Sports Fields, changing rooms or toilets at the conclusion of the booking to ensure that the hirer has complied with its obligations. Where, in the Council’s opinion, any additional cleaning or maintenance is necessary (other than that normally undertaken), this will be undertaken by the Council and charged to the hirer, which shall reimburse to the Council any costs incurred by it upon demand.

10. Smoke free

The hirer will, when using the Sports Fields and any changing rooms, storage facilities and toilets, comply with the Council’s Smokefree and Vapefree Public Places Policy which covers all Council-owned parks and reserves and includes all sports fields, changing rooms, storage facilities, toilets and other buildings.

11. Sports fields closure

The Council reserves the right in its absolute discretion to close the Sports Fields, changing rooms and toilets (as applicable) at any time and for such periods as it considers necessary or expedient, where the Council considers that any of the following circumstances apply:

  1. there is a need to protect the health and safety of players, officials, spectators or members of the public;
  2. there is a need to protect or preserve the playing surface of the Sports Fields from damage;
  3. there is a need to repair damage or to undertake maintenance; and
  4. any other circumstance arises where it is necessary, desirable or expedient to close the Sports Fields. In the event of any such closure, the hirer must immediately cease to use or access the Sports Fields for the period of such closure.

12. Car parking

The hirer must ensure that all users of the Sports Fields during the Specified Times park their vehicles only in designated parking areas and not park on the Sports Fields or on the park or land or which the Sports Fields form part. The hirer must ensure that any disability parking provided is accessible to disabled persons at all times.

13. Compliance with bylaw

The hirer must comply with the applicable Parks, Forests and Reserves Bylaw 2016 relevant to the Sports Fields and their use (including any subsequent amendment or replacement of that Bylaw).

14. No warranty as to use

No warranty or representation expressed or implied has been or is made by the Council that the Sports Fields, changing rooms and/or toilets are now suitable or will remain suitable for use by the hirer.