Town of Seekonk Parks and Recreation Committee
Inclement Weather Guidelines
The Director of Recreation or a designee thereof has the right to cancel any activity or event on a town recreational facility at any time to ensure the safety of the participants and to prevent town fields from getting abused and destroyed when the turf is vulnerable. All users of recreational facilities are REQUIRED to cancel an activity or event when potentially hazardous weather / field conditions exist. In addition to the use of common sense if any one of the following conditions exist immediate cancellation is mandatory:
- Downpours, heavy rains, ongoing showers, snow, sleet, hail etc.
- Standing puddles of water on a field.
- Footing is unsure and slippery.
- Ground is waterlogged and slushy or squishy.
- Grass can be pulled out of the ground easily.
- Lightning: Minimum of 30 minutes with no reoccurrence before re-entering the field.
The safety and well being of persons participating in athletic programs is of primary concern. Sports related injuries caused by poor playing conditions can lead to career ending injuries and permanent disabilities.
Additionally, when games are played on fields with poor conditions, it often causes irreversible damage to the fields. Surface damage is obvious and visible but as of equal concern from maintenance perspective is the subsurface damage.
It shall be the responsibility of the individual who signed the permit to ensure that all individuals, teams or groups using a town recreational field do not use and / or vacate the field(s) when said conditions exist.
Each League or Organization shall (1) provide a copy of these guidelines to each board member and coach within their organization (2) provide a copy of these guidelines to any officiating organizations that may control the suspension of a game or match once play has begun and (3) post these guidelines on their official website.
Teams or leagues that refuse to follow this policy will be subjected to one or more of the following disciplinary actions:
- Written warning to the President or Chairman of the organization.
- Suspension of the team or organization from practicing on the fields for one week.
- Forfeiture of a team’s privileges to either practice or play games on the Town of Seekonk's fields for the remainder of the season.
- Having the league pay for damages caused by disregard to this policy.