Currently, city residents and city-based groups do not pay to use any athletic fields or other park facilities, such as pavilions. Nonresidents pay $43 for a single-day event and $85 for an eight-week season.
"We had to raise several of our fees to demonstrate that the City of Camden is doing everything possible to become self-sufficient and less [reliant] on state aid," said city spokesman Robert Corrales.
Camden received $108 million in total state aid this year, or 65 percent of its $167 million budget. Gov. Christie has threatened to continue cutting Camden's state aid each year.
The ordinance provides a field-fee exemption for "City of Camden youth organizations," which, according to Corrales, includes any Little League based in the city and other youth-related events.
But even youth groups could face other charges, such as the rental of concession stands or a scoreboard, Thompson said.
Though the application fee to use a city park or community center was reduced from $50 to $10, Camden residents and nonprofit organizations would no longer be exempt from paying the fees.
City officials said Tuesday evening that they could not say how much revenue they expected to make once the new fees were implemented.
The city parks also would be open year-round from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., a change from the 5 p.m. closing time during winter.
The ordinance to amend the parks and recreation code passed unanimously. The ordinance will go to the state Department of Community Affairs for a final review.
Contact Claudia Vargas at 856-779-3917, cvargas@phillynews.com, or on Twitter @InqCVargas. Read her blog, "Camden Flow," on philly.com.
