Meeting space problems and continued virus issues

[Momleader]

This year is as horrible as last year.  Last year we kept things going the best we could.  there was no soccer, no youth football or basketball and a short baseball season.  We met outside as much as we could at parks and in small groups.  Our Pack is chartered by a church, who would rather we NOT meet there unless everyone is masked to prevent spread of delta variant and protect the elderly congregants. We have some parents who don't want the kids wearing masks because they have to all day at school still.  We've checked with other churches and gotten the same response.  We have 3 elementary schools, but we can't meet at any of them because no outsiders from the school community can be in the building so if your a child or parent from building A you cant be in buildings B or C and so forth this includes playground areas.  Even if we could meet there there is a night custodian fee of about $150 if we met there -  out of budget.  The town has 2 public parks with ball fields.  Park 1& 2  we aren't able to use because they have posted NO Group Use - parks department says the only groups allowed to use are ball teams right now and families using the playscapes , there is one other park that has a pavillion but its $150 to use it for the night and $250 security deposit.   In the meantime the churches and parks department have asked that we do service projects/ cleanups etc  which we normally do through the year.  I'm feeling less than charitable if they are all going to charge us this much money to use the parks that parents have already paid property taxes to use.  We are talking about 90 minutes of use for 2 pack meetings (meeting is an hour but we want time to setup and cleanup).    We have even checked the fair ground in town but there isn't a building, bathroom or lights in the off season.  The library is on the same page as the parks department and reduced their hours.

Its starting to feel like our community wants the pack to fail unless they need a community clean up or other physical labor from the parents and children.

Council is tied up with fall recruitment and the settlement so what staff is left doesn't have much time to help us.   anyone here have a suggestion?

[Momleader]

Let me also add the whole lack of space to meet makes it harder to get leaders and parents to commit since it feels like we never know where we will be meeting with any certainty.  

[yknot]

If you have any agriculture near you, try there. We have a farm that does events through December and they rent small tents to groups for a nominal fee or sometimes you can get it for free if you also buy tickets for the corn maze or other activity. I can think of worse fall pack meetings to have. Some farmers also have equipment barns.  

Ask a firehouse if you can meet in one of their bays. They might be willing to move a truck outside and leave the garage bay door open for you to meet. 

See if there is any empty warehouse spaces or empty buildings with garage bays.

Most of these places won't have heat but you might get light and be out of the rain/wind. Some might have limited bathroom access. If it gets you through to December you can try Jan or Feb as a family ski or skate night outdoors somewhere or cancel for those two months. 

Don't worry so much about running a traditional pack meeting for now. Just get the kids together someplace safe and fun and ad lib the rest. 

[5thGenTexan]

I have a meeting space problem.  Too many Scouts and not enough days of the week. 

[WisconsinMomma]

For dens, meet in homes. Does anyone have enough space to host the pack on their property?  

Call your park director and/or mayor and ask for free use of the pavillion for your non profit once a month. 

[Pale Horse]

Just go to the public park and squat in the pavilion.  Rental fees ensure you have the space guaranteed and available for your sole use.  Just be flexible; sure someone may have rented it and you'll be stuck on the grass, but more likely than not the space is unrented on week day nights for the hour that you need to use it.

Just be courteous and clean up after yourself.  

[mrjohns2]

We’ve been using the as hooks and wearing masks. We have had good compliance. If I was OP I’d meet in the church and wear masks.