Politics & Government
Gulfport Beach Pavilions Now For Rent
The City Council unanimously approved a trial program for pavilion rental at Gulfport City Beach. Now you can reserve a spot for birthday parties and gatherings.
As of this week, the public pavilions at the City of Gulfport Public Beach will be available to rent for parties, cookouts and events.
At Tuesday's City Council meeting, the board approved a trial program for "reservations and rentals of beach pavilions" providing additional revenue to the city. This will keep people from taking a "random chance" on availability when they come to the beach for a birthday party or other gathering.
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To make the way for the new program, council members first had to suspend Section 17-26 (a) of the Code of Ordinance, effective immediately. The code states, "Use of all park facilities, including without limitation all shelters, tables and benches shall generally be on a 'first come' basis."
Costs will be per-day and based on resident status, with larger pavilions at a higher rate. Pavilions #1 through #5 will have a rental of $25 for residents and $50 for non-residents. The two larger areas—Pavilions #6 and #7—will be $50 for residents and $100 for non-residents. The pavilions will continue to be available on a first-come basis unless there is a paid reservation.
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Enforcement of the rentals will be by the Recreation Division staff during working hours and by the Gulfport City Police after hours. As part of the agreement, the area must left in good and clean condition as when arrived, with no alcohol, inflatables or littering. Smoking is also not allowed.
All of the rentals will be from dawn to dusk. The City of Gulfport maintains priority over the areas during holidays and special events.
The council members agreed to offer resident rental rates for all city employees, no matter what their address. Ward 1 Councilmember Dan Liedtke suggested that city employees get a half-price rate, as a way of thanking them for their service.
The trial period of the new pavilion rental plan will be through November 1. Reservations can be made 15 days in advance through the Gulfport Recreation Division, 5730 Shore Boulevard, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 727-893-1068 or visit the City of Gulfport website.