By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

DON’T impose a levy on tropical fun in the park, senators said yesterday, rejecting the Department of Parks and Recreation’s proposal to charge a $10 fee on people who want to hold a canopy-sheltered picnic at a public park.
“Instead of $10, let’s make it zero dollar. I think this is one fee that we can waive,” Sen. James Espaldon, R-Tamuning, said at yesterdays’ discussion of DPR’s proposed new fee schedule.
“Going to the park for weekend picnics is something that local families on Guam do spontaneously. It’s part of our lifestyle. This fee will discourage people from using the park,” Espaldon said.
“And what if DPR is closed on that day and no one is available to collect the fee? It would dampen the whole spirit of bringing families together,” Espaldon said.
Minority Leader Judi Won Pat, D-Malojloj, agreed. “We need to promote more family outings. I like the idea of not having to pay a fee to go to the park. What else would be there to do on Guam where we don’t have to pay?”
Sen. Tina Muna Barnes, D-Mangilao, noted that partying in the park is one of the most affordable recreational activities available to low income families.
“Not everybody can afford to take their children to the arcade. We have to continue to have an avenue where families can bond together,” Barnes said.
DPR director Joseph Duenas said the department would use the fees to be collected from use of open space in public parks for park maintenance.
But Espaldon said the department can use other fees to accomplish its mandate of keeping the public parks clean.
Increasing fees for park use is part of DPR’s revenue-enhancement plan.
Under the proposed fee schedules, DPR would raise the fee for commercial and movie shooting in the park from $50 to $75 per hour. The fee for the use of pavilions would increase from $50 to $75; and the use of the amphitheater, from $75 to $125.
DPR would charge a $2 parking fee at the Paseo Stadium main parking lot when there’s an event at the stadium. Admission fee to the Hagatna Pool would increase from 50 cents to $2 a day.
Duenas told senators that the current admission fee to the pool hampers DPR’s ability to recover the cost of operating and maintaining the facility in Hagatna.