Rental fees for youth sports programs at West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) facilities will be reduced by about 75 percent thanks to a new funding source from the County health department.
Contra Costa Supervisor John Gioia started the initiative, called West County PLAYS. It will provide $400,000 annually through Contra Costa County Health Services to reduce costs for nonprofit sports groups to use WCCUSD facilities. The funding will support the cost for the WCCUSD maintain its indoor and outdoor facilities, according to Gioia.
The PLAYS initiative “addresses costs associated with facility rentals, particularly custodian fees, which have been a barrier for many organizations,” Gioia’s office stated.
The initiative comes in the wake of fierce advocacy from local youth soccer programs for more opportunities to play on better fields.
West County PLAYS is made possibly via a partnership between the County, WCCUSD, and local nonprofits.
On Tuesday, Gioia held a press conference at Kennedy High School athletic field to announce and celebrate the new initiative.
“The more we make our school fields accessible to the community, the healthier young people are,” Gioia said at the news conference.
