Community Center

In order to keep our facility safe and pleasant for all users, the following Rules & Procedures apply:

1. With exception to the Town of Thompson’s Station Community Center, hours of use are Dawn to Dusk, unless approved by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board through an Event Permit or by the BOMA through a Special Event Permit.
2. All dogs shall be leashed, except within the fenced areas at Nutro Dog Park. Dogs shall always be under the control of their owner/caretaker. All dog waste shall be cleaned up by the owner/caretaker.
3. Adult supervision is required for all minor children. 
4. The following are strictly prohibited: 
   1. The consumption, possession, or usage of alcohol;
   2. Smoking, including vaping; 
   3. The use of personal fireworks and/or sparklers; 
   4. Weapons; 
   5. Glass containers; 
   6. Harvesting firewood and/or cutting/removal of any trees; 
   7. Fires, except for the grills provided in Sarah Benson Park; 
   8. Littering and/or dumping; 
   9. Signs/bills, including political signs;
   10. Hunting; 
   11. Removal of cultural/historic artifacts. This includes a prohibition of metal detecting, unless associated with a Town approved archeological/historic investigation; an approved educational program/class; a state sponsored archeological/historical; or request by law enforcement.; 
   12. Unauthorized motorized vehicles, including drones; 
   13. Camping/Overnight Parking; 
   14. Commercial/For-profit activities, unless approve by the Parks Board in advance; 
   15. External equipment (bouncy house, tents, trailers, port-a-potties, etc.) unless approved as part of an Event or Special Permit. 
5. Any events within Town Parks shall require a Parks Event Permit in accordance with the following:
   1. Event Permits for any event of up to 50 people may be issued by Town Staff, so long as the event meets all other Park Rules and Town Regulations. Town Staff may forward any Event Permit to the Parks Board, based on the specific circumstances of the event request.
   2. Event Permits for an event of 51+ people shall require review and approval by the Parks Board and applicants shall provide a Certificate of Insurance as part of the Permit submission. Applicants shall attend the Parks Board meeting to present their event to the Board and answer any questions that the Board may have. The Parks Board may add conditions or restrictions to any Event Permit, as deemed reasonably necessary by the Board.
   3. Events of 150+ people shall require approval of a Large Scale Event Permit, according to the Town’s Large Scale Impact Event Rules and Procedures.
   4. All events not associated with a Large Scale Impact Event Permit in Town Parks shall have participation/attendance limits, as follows:
      1. Event Permits in Sarah Benson Park shall not exceed 50 people, unless otherwise approved by BOMA through a Special Event Permit.
      2. Event Permits in Preservation Park shall not exceed 300 people, unless otherwise approved by BOMA through a Special Event Permit.
   5. All events utilizing the Town of Thompson’s Station Community Center shall require review and approval by the Parks Board and applicants shall provide a Certificate of Insurance as part of the Permit submission. Applicants shall attend the Parks Board meeting to present their event to the Board and answer any questions that the Board may have. The Parks Board may add conditions or restrictions to any Event Permit, as deemed reasonably necessary by the Board.
   6. Fees (governmental & school groups waived from all Park Event fees):
      1. Events 0-150 people: No fee
      2. Events 150+ people: $300
      3. Community Center use: $250 + $50 per hour after two (2) hours of reservation
         *The Parks Board may waive usage fees for any non-profit group utilizing the TSCC who have agreed to provide 2+ hours of volunteer service to the Town of Thompson’s Station Parks system per TSCC event use.

In addition to the General Rules & Procedures, the following facility-specific rules & procedures apply:

Thompson's Station Community Center:

• TSCC1  Hours of use shall be expressed on the Parks Event Permit, including preparation and clean-up times. 
• TSCC2  Patrons should use only the main entrance unless otherwise approved by management.
• TSCC3  Posted Occupancy Calculations shall be honored. Town Staff may adjust occupancy rate based on event type and seating configurations.
• TSCC4  Food and beverages may be served at events utilizing the TSCC, however, no on-site cooking shall be permitted. Food prepared off-site or requiring no heating that could produce grease-laden vapors may be allowed. Warming pans with small heating elements shall be permitted. The consumption, possession, or usage of alcohol shall be permitted with approval by BOMA through a Special Event Permit.
• TSCC5  Small decorative candles are allowed, but wax-less candles or a ground cover must be used to prevent dripping wax. Large bucket-candles, tiki torches, or any flames larger than 1-½ inches are prohibited.
• TSCC6  Decorative materials and signage shall not be stapled, taped or attached to any structures, walls, windows or doors in, around and adjacent to the community center building.
• TSCC7  15 tables and 125 chairs are provided in the TSCC for event usage.  Tables and chairs shall be cleaned and placed on the appropriate storage carts prior to event permit holders leaving the TSCC. Any extra tables and chairs used shall be provided by the event permit holder and shall be removed from the TSCC at the end of the event.
• TSCC8  “Leave it better than you found it.” All trash, decorations and other items brought in by the reserving party must be removed from the building. The permit holder is responsible for removing all equipment, decorations, supplies, and trash left by the event. Food waste and other related items must be properly bagged and disposed of by the user. An additional cleaning fee of $250 may be assessed upon inspection of facilities and rental evaluations may be performed to determine future rental approvals.
• TSCC9   Town Staff shall have rights to enter and/or monitor the event by on-site cameras. Town Staff have the authority to stop unsafe, destructive, or illegal activity, and terminate the reservation in the event that policies and rules are violated.

TSCCR1 RESERVATIONS:

1. Reservations may be made up to 12 months in advance, with a non-refundable deposit of $150. The balance is to be paid at least three business days prior to the event.
2. All reservations must be for a minimum of two hours and in one-hour increments. Any partial hour of facility use will be charged at the full-hour rate. Set-up, break-down and clean-up time must be included in the reservation rental period.
3. For recurring events (church services and regularly scheduled meetings), permits can be approved for up to a 3-month period.
4. Reservations may be required to provide security at their expense for events that may be deemed by staff to be a safety concern. All security plans must be approved by BOMA.
5. Additional fees may be required for events that involve the following:
   1. independent athletic leagues
   2. invitational tournaments
   3. commercial activities
   4. Park Board approved fundraising activities
6. Permits to use a facility for a fundraising event may be requested at least 60 days in advance by the following:
   1. organizations with a permit from the Tennessee Charitable Solicitations Board
   2. educational institutions, organizations with IRS 501(c)3 status
   3. candidates for public office