Community Use of Schools (Rentals)

The person named as the permit holder is responsible for all rules and regulations and additional permit conditions that are provided directly on the permit. Rental groups/organizations are also required to conform to all Regulations of the Province of Ontario and By-Laws of the City of Hamilton. An approved permit for use of space is issued to the named permit holder and is non-transferable.

Top 10 things to remember about Community Use Schools – For Permit Holders

If the permit holder listed is not also the event supervisor, then we require the name(s) and cell phone numbers of those persons who will be in attendance in the role of event supervisor.  Event Supervisors provide critical contact information for Rentals and identify to duty staff the appropriate person to connect with regarding any concerns or information before, during or after a use.

• Adequate adult supervision (hereafter referred to as event supervisor) is required by all rental groups for the entire duration of the rental.
• An adult is a responsible person who is 18 year of age or older.
• The event supervisor must be provided and carry with them a copy of the permit (updated as required owing to revisions)
• When renting multiple spaces in a facility, there must be an event supervisor in charge of each area (i.e. when multiple classrooms are used, there must be a supervisor for each classroom).
• In addition to having reviewed and understood the Permit Rules and Regulations and Permit Conditions, it is the responsibility of the event supervisor to ensure that their participants:
  • Leave the school on, or before, the ending time of the rental permit.
  • The event supervisor must be the first person to enter the facility and the last to leave.

If adequate event supervision is not demonstrated at all times by the permit holder, the permit for use of space will be cancelled and future requests for use will be declined.

General

Smoking or vaping (including holding a lit cigarette – tobacco or cannabis – or activated e-cigarette) is prohibited on all school property (buildings and all outdoor spaces).  Additional information on the Smoke-Free Ontario Act, 2017 can be found at www.Ontario.ca.

The room capacity must not exceed the Fire Prevention Division Maximum Occupant Load indicated on the capacity card posted.

Set ups, such as tables and chairs, or holding event related activities (such as designating a hallway/foyer as a holding area for participants) is strictly prohibited in foyers and ways of egress (hallways).  Additional, appropriate spaces to serve those functions must be rented, as available.

No pets. Service Animals are permitted as outlined through HWDSB Student Use of Guide Dogs and Service Animals Procedure

Spaces are rented “as is”, and permitted based on the appropriateness of the requested use. They are to be left in their original condition.

Cafeterias are the only spaces where food and drink are permitted.

Additional staff may be required depending on the type and scale of use. This may include additional caretaking coverage and security guards.

Cafeteria

Rental groups must rent the cafeteria for the consumption of food and/or beverages.

Rental groups must leave the cafeteria clean and as they found it previous to use.

Cooking is an excluded activity in any space.

Parking Lots

Parking must be confined to a facility’s parking lot or street parking.

No parking is allowed on fields or paved playgrounds.

Permit holders are solely responsible and liable for all vehicles and the contents inside vehicles that enter or park on Board property.

HWDSB does not guarantee the availability of parking spaces for rentals at any of our facilities.

Overnight parking is strictly prohibited.

Auditorium

Gymnasium

Non-marking, rubber-soled shoes must be worn at all times for all sports activities in gymnasium spaces.

Appropriate indoor equipment must be used. For example, indoor soccer balls, whiffle balls for baseball, plastic or composite floor hockey equipment.

No high physical contact sports will be permitted such as rugby, football, and lacrosse game play, however skill development programming can be allowed.

Outdoor Spaces

Available Spaces: All permitted activity conducted on exterior spaces of Board property is subject to the same Rules and Regulations governing interior activity and requires a permit.

No access to buildings.

No metal cleats or blades.

No barbeques permitted on Board property.

No glass.

No chewing gum.

Dates and hours or use is dependent upon outdoor space type, season and weather and is determined seasonally.

Field Closures/Rain-Out Policy

See under cancellation.

Unimproved Fields

Season determined bi-annually (May and September), dependent upon weather and condition of the field.

Unimproved Fields used “as is” and size and dimensions vary from facility to facility. Permit applicants are encouraged to visit the requested site and determine suitability for the intended use.

Any dates requested prior to the start date of the season and following the end of the season will be cancelled/removed.

Natural Turf Fields

Available July 1 to August 22 from 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. – maximum 25 hours per week (all uses combined).

Artificial Turf Fields

Hours of use – April 1 – June 30 (excluding June 19-29), June 30 – August 28 and August 29 to November 30.

Hours of Use – July 1 to August 22:

• Rental groups/organizations are not allowed to store furniture, equipment or materials in any HWDSB facilities. HWDSB holds no responsibility, nor does insurance cover, for any items left by permit holders. Permits include the use of volleyball standards and basketball nets. Sporting equipment such as volleyball nets, ball, floor mats, scoreboards, etc. are not included as part of the rental agreement. Permit holders may use the tables and chairs belonging to a facility if they are available and requested on the permit.

For any after-hours concerns, please contact the After Hours Response Centre at 905-667-3079. If your call is about a matter of public safety or illegal activity, please call 911.

Doors to facilities will remain locked at all times. The caretaker will meet the permit supervisor at the designated door 15 minutes prior to the rental start time. It is the responsibility of the permit supervisor or a designated adult to admit participants.

Doors are NOT to be propped open.

For large, full day events and competitions, HWDSB may require security guards to be employed for the entire duration of permitted use of space. The cost of security guards will be the responsibility of the permit holder.  The role of security guards is limited to ensuring the safety and security of the facility and permitted areas on behalf of HWDSB and not to provide event supervision support on behalf of, or as requested by, the permit holder.

Injury

The permit holder is required to immediately report all injuries to the Caretaker on duty at the facility so that they can secure the space in which the injury and/or accident occurred.

It is the responsibility of all permit holders to report all injuries that occur while on HWDSB property to:

The School office where the injury occurred and Rentals Department: rentals@hwdsb.on.ca

Critically injured means an injury of a serious nature that:

• Places life in jeopardy
• Produces unconsciousness
• Results in substantial loss of blood
• Involves the fracture of a leg or arm, but not a finger or toe
• Involves the amputation of a leg, arm, hand or foot, but not a finger or toe
• Consist of burns to a major portion of the body
• Causes the loss of sight in an eye

Fire

The HWDSB’s Approved Fire Safety Plan is applicable at all times when the building is occupied.

Any person detecting smoke or fire must immediately sound the fire alarm by activating the nearest fire alarm pull station and call 911. All fires must be reported to the Fire Department by calling 911.

On hearing the fire alarm signal, all activities are to be stopped and everyone must evacuate the building using the nearest safe exit or alternate exit. Only when it is determined to be safe by the attending Fire Department personnel, will permit holders be allowed to re-enter the facility.

Excluded Activities

HWDSB reserves the right to exclude any requested activity in their sole discretion.  Some examples (but not limited to) of excluded activities include:

The consumption of alcoholic beverages is not permitted in buildings, or on the grounds, of HWDSB.

Inflatables such as jumpers, slides, houses, castles, etc. and dunk tanks are not permitted.

Live animal shows or demonstrations (domestic or exotic) are not permitted.

Pyrotechnics are prohibited in all buildings and properties.

Games of chance, lotteries, bingo games and all other forms of gambling are forbidden on HWDSB property.

HWDSB retains the right to review and assess damages or any additional costs incurred during a permitted use. A revised permit will be provided detailing these costs and financial responsibility is borne by the permit holder in its entirety.

A Facilities Inspection Report is used to review spaces, and details of their use, prior to and after use. Event supervisors are expected to review space(s) rented prior to each and every use, and report deficiencies to caretaking at the outset of a use. Damages and concerns should be identified, as they occur, to ensure that normal wear and tear and communication issues are differentiated from misuse of a space.

Facilities Inspection Report

Cancellations, changes to date(s) and time(s) and additions to approved permits for use of space can be requested through our online system for scheduling community use of schools.

At least five business days notice is required for any change to an existing permit for use of space. Changes and additions to permits less than five business days from the start of the permit use may not be considered. Cancellations less than five business days from the start of the permit, may result in no refund to the permit holder for their cancellation.

When a permit holder does not show for their scheduled use, they will receive one warning from the Rental Administrator. On the second occurrence, the remainder of the permitted uses will be cancelled. In addition, a permit holder who received a space cost subsidy for their permit will be charged the full space cost fees for the ‘No Show’ occurrence.

Use of HWDSB facilities will be automatically cancelled when schools are closed due to inclement weather, strikes, or any other causes beyond the control of HWDSB. When a cancellation occurs, permit holders and Board staff will be notified by email. Closure on a Friday means that schools will not open again until Monday. Therefore, permits for Friday evening, Saturday, and/or Sunday will be cancelled.

Approved permits for use of space may be cancelled, or dates of permits may be changed if the permitted facilities are required by the Board for school activities, or by the government for polling stations. If a rental group is displaced by a school activity or an election, the Rental Administrator will contact the group to revise the existing permit.

Permits may be revoked or cancelled by HWDSB in its sole, absolute and unfettered discretion at any time, with or without cause, and without penalty or any further liability of HWDSB; and the permit holder shall have no claim or right to any reimbursement or costs whatsoever as a result of any losses, damages or expenses incurred by the permit holder in connection with such revocation or cancellation.

Field closure/Rain-out policy

HWDSB mirrors the City of Hamilton’s Sports Field Rain-Out Policy.

It is the permit holder’s responsibility to check the status/condition of a field prior to use.

Fields are considered unplayable and use cancelled if the following conditions exist:

• Visual ponding of water on the surface.
• Water sponging up when the area is walked upon.

If the use of the field is continued under the above listed unplayable/cancelled conditions, Permit Holders will be accountable for:

• Full liability and responsibility for any accidents or injuries.
• Payment for all damages to the field resulting from that use.

*Severe Weather/thunderstorms – Permit holder is expected to determine their own cancellations owing to severe weather/thunderstorms.  These cancellations must be reported on the discussion board of the permit within 48 hours for cancellation and refund.  Please refer to Environment Canada “Lightning Safety and Preparedness Facts Sheet” if you require guidance.