West Hartford, CT Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Fee authority
- § 128-1, Town Council resolution
- Administering department
- Department of Leisure Services
- Alcohol at a reserved event
- only licensed venue or Town-sponsored event
- Curfew during an event
- no presence after 9:00 p.m. (§ 128-3H)
- Default penalty
- $65/day plus $2 per $10 fee (§ 1-8)
Summary
West Hartford does not let anyone reserve a Town-owned recreational facility for free: § 128-1 requires that facility-use fees be charged only from a schedule the Town Council itself approves and can amend by resolution. The Department of Leisure Services administers the schedule and any event held on Town park property still has to follow the separate park conduct rules in § 128-3.
§ 128-1. Schedule of fees. Fees for the use of Town-owned recreational facilities shall be charged only in accordance with a schedule of fees to be approved by the Town Council by resolution, which schedule may be amended from time to time by resolution of the Council.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 128's Article I, Fees, adopted 9-12-1972, is short and direct: § 128-1 says fees for the use of Town-owned recreational facilities "shall be charged only in accordance with a schedule of fees" that the Town Council approves by resolution and may amend the same way. The Code's editor's note records that the current schedule itself is kept on file with the Department of Leisure Services rather than printed in the Code, which is the department that handles bookings. Whoever books a park, playground, open space area or floodplain, as those are defined in § 128-2, still has to follow Article II's list of prohibited acts at § 128-3 while the event is underway: no alcohol except at a facility licensed to serve it or at a Town-sponsored special event where beer and wine are specifically allowed (§ 128-3F, amended 6-25-2013), no motor vehicle off a designated road or lot (§ 128-3G), and no one may remain in a park or playground after 9:00 p.m. except as part of a Town-supervised program (§ 128-3H).
Chapter 128 sets no penalty of its own for a violation of these terms, so the Code's general penalty at § 1-8 applies by default.
Violations & Fines
Because Chapter 128 has no penalty section of its own, a violation of the reservation or use terms falls under the Code's general penalty, § 1-8: a fine of $65 for each calendar day the violation continues, plus an additional administrative fee of $2 per $10 of the fine owed by anyone issued a citation. The Town may still enforce abatement of the condition on top of any fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a set fee to reserve a West Hartford park facility?
Can alcohol be served at a reserved park event?
Can a reserved event run past 9 p.m. in a Town park?
What is the penalty for breaking the park use rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in West Hartford
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