The Fridley City Council on Feb. 23 unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance amendment establishing rental fees for new facilities at Commons Park.
Parks and Recreation Director Mike Maher said the updated fee schedule will cover activity rooms in the park’s new recreation building, open-air shelters and a large-group bus permit program.
The recreation building will include three activity rooms with a capacity of about 25 people each. Two rooms can be combined to accommodate up to 50 people. Maher said the spaces are suited for youth birthday parties, business meetings and small gatherings.
The rooms will be available year-round beginning in summer 2026. Proposed rental rates are $40 per hour with a two-hour minimum for Fridley residents and $65 per hour for non-residents. Both require a $200 refundable deposit.
The plan also includes two open-air shelters, each with a capacity of 50 people. Shelter rentals will be available May through October beginning in summer 2026. Proposed rates are $100 per day for residents and $150 per day for non-residents, with a $100 refundable deposit.
Maher said the city also plans to implement a large-group bus permit program, typical of destination parks with playgrounds and splash pads. The permit would allow staff to monitor and limit large-group use to help ensure availability for residents. The proposal allows up to two bus permits per day at $50 each.
Council Member Ann Bolkcom asked about shelter rental hours. Maher said the ordinance addresses fees only, but rentals would likely run from park opening to closing, potentially as late as 9 p.m., depending on contract language.
Council Member Luke Cardona said the new building would be staffed during rentals, typically by one or two employees. He added that previous rental activity at city facilities has been strong.
Council Member Ryan Evanson questioned whether the $200 deposit for indoor rentals was sufficient for non-residents, noting that earlier data showed roughly 75% of renters are Fridley residents.
“For people that are coming into our community, and they’re not paying taxes, so they’re not really bearing the cost of maintaining these parks, is $200 enough?” Evanson said.
Evanson also asked how often the city has retained deposits.
Maher said that at similar facilities, such as Moore Lake Park and Locke Park, deposits are withheld only once or twice annually, typically for major spills or clear policy violations.
“We’ve tried to find a happy medium where we find that amount that, it’s enough of a deterrent that someone wants to recuperate their cost, but it’s not so much of a deterrent that somebody says, boy, it’s a barrier,” Maher said.
Deposits are returned after the event is completed, which can be several months after a reservation is made. Maher added that rental agreements allow the city to seek additional payment if damage exceeds the deposit amount.