By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Residents can now make online reservations for the 14 shelterhouses in Hays parks.
There’s no cost to make a reservation on the city’s website haysusa.com and it’s first come, first served, said Jeff Boyle, director of parks.
“We do require a minimum of eight days notice,” Boyle noted. “The reason for that is we post the reservations in the shelters every Friday.”
Online reservations can be scheduled up to one year in advance.
You’ll need to provide your name, phone number, email address, the requested shelter and park, and the number of people expected.
“That kind of helps us judge the activities that are going on in the park. We may need to make some alterations such as number of trash cans,” Boyle explained. “We do put out extra trash bins if we know there’s going to be a large gathering.”
Most reservations are for Saturday and Sunday. City staff works those two days, removing the trash and cleaning restrooms. Trash is picked up from parks five days a week.
Park reservations can be canceled and new ones created.
You must also agree to obey park rules and city ordinances and to no use of stakes. Park users have pounded stakes into the ground for tents and bouncy houses in the past and that has caused some problems.
“Bouncy houses were set up in one particular park and poked a hole in our water line. In another park, they actually hit an electric line.
“It’s very important folks understand [the rules] and anybody that has questions about that they can call and discuss it. Because of the safety issues with it, it’s just not something we allow,” Boyle stressed.
The ban expected to change.
The Parks Department has a plan that would allow safe erection of tents and bouncy houses in Hays parks.
“We are working on putting certain areas in parks, maybe marking them with corner markers, where these types of things can be placed. We’re trying to find all the infrastructure first at this point and get it into a mapping system so that not only are we accurate but that folks can find those markers and where they can and can’t place those type of devices.”
The online reservation system will send a validation email to the user confirming the date, time and location.
Boyle says the shelter reservation system is simple to use and will save a lot of staff time.
“We have around 380 reservations a year and for each one of those there’s a phone call, sometimes two to three phone calls,” he said. “It will be a relief on staff to have this in place.”
Staff in the Parks Department is still available if needed to answer questions or someone does not have access to the internet.
“Online reservations are kind of the standard in the industry now, and I think it’s expected.” Boyle noted. “I think Hays was a little bit behind the times on that and I’m glad to see this in place.”
The shelters are located in the following parks:
- Aubel Bickle Park–30th & Sherman
- Dan Rupp Park–33rd & Skyline Drive
- Ekey Park–19th & Holmes Road
- Frontier East, North and West Parks–Highway 183 Bypass, Main Street (2)
- Hickok Park–26th & Donald Drive
- Kiwanis Park–17th & Harvest Avenue
- Massey Park–17th & Allen Street
- Municipal Park (2)–1st & Main Street
- Seven Hills Park–33rd & Hillcrest Drive
- Sunrise Park–19th & MacArthur Road
- Downtown Hays Pavilion–10th & Main Street
The phone number for the Hays Parks Department is 785-628-7375.