Permits
Are you a group of 20 or more people interested in reserving a park, or an organized team interested in reserving an athletic field in Lansdowne? If so, you will need to complete an online Park Permit Application. Applications must be submitted at least two weeks in advance of your event.
Park rental season starts in mid-April and runs through mid -October of any year.
- What is the fee to rent the park?
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The fee for 2022 is $125 for a 4 hour rental, for 75 people or less. Rentals periods do not extend beyond 4 hours and groups are limited to 75 people, maximum.
- How do I obtain park permit?
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Permits are required for groups of 20 persons or more, or if you would like to reserve exclusive use of the pavilion at Hoffman Park.
Applications should be submitted no less than fourteen (14) days, prior to the requested event date.
Review the free/busy calendar here to see if the date you’d like is available in our calendar.
Fill out the park request form here and someone will get back to you within 2-3 business days to confirm your date and give instructions on paying for the permit.
If you are unable to access the online permit request form, please call the Parks and Recreation office at 610-284-1493 or email LansdowneParks@gmail.com.
If you have been approved for a park permit, please call 610-623-7300 x210 to make a payment.
- Why are park rentals only four (4) hours? Can I buy extra time?
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Park rentals are limited to 4 hours to reduce the impact that individual events have on the park, those who live adjacent to the park and the community as a whole. We’ve found that the longer events go on, the more likely it is that we will receive complaints about noise, trash and quality of life issues. For this reason, we are unable to extend the park permits longer than a 4 hour rental.
- Why are park rentals limited to 75 people? Can I pay for extra people?
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Park rentals are limited to 75 people to reduce the impact that individual events have on the park and community as a whole. We’ve found that groups larger than 75 people have a negative impact on the park infrastructure and we are unable to safely accommodate parking for groups larger than 75 people.
- Why can’t we stay in the park after dark?
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While we do have some path lighting, the park is quite dark once the sun has gone down for the day. We don’t want people to have to find their way out of the park after dark, therefore the park closes at 9pm or sundown, whichever is earlier.
- How long do we have to setup/breakdown our event?
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Our expectation is that you have ½ hour for setup, up to four (4) hours for your event, and ½ hour for breakdown. Please be sure to exit the park and remove vehicles from parking areas before sundown.
- Are there bathrooms?
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Bathrooms are located adjacent to the tennis courts. While the bathrooms are waterless, they are stocked with hand sanitizer and toilet paper on a regular basis. We suggest you bring an extra roll of toilet paper & bottle of hand sanitizer, in case supplies run low during your event.
- Is there electricity or running water?
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There is no electricity or water available for public use.
- Can we grill?
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Grilling is allowed, but you must bring your own grill and use it on the grass. Grilling is NOT allowed under the pavilion, adjacent to the shed or any structures, or in landscaped areas, due to fire concerns. Please take all grills and used gas canisters/charcoal ash with you after your event. Do not place used charcoal or used ashes in the park.
- What do we do with our trash?
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Please bring your own trash bags and bag all trash, both during your event and prior to leaving the park/pavilion. You are responsible for bagging and removing all of the trash generated by your event. Properly filled and closed trash bags may be placed by the trashcans adjacent to Scottdale road. Please do not overload park trash cans with event trash.
- Where can we park?
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A limited number of parking spaces are available in the three parking lots adjacent to the park, and at the nearby Gateway Park lot. Parking is not permitted overnight, along roadways or driveways, in the park, on the grass, or on private property. Cars may be ticketed or towed for non-compliance.
- What about refunds?
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Park permit fees are non-refundable, but dates may be rescheduled for up to a year from the original permit date. If your group is unable to use the park due to weather or other situations that arise, so long as they are communicated via email BEFORE the start of your event day/time, you may be eligible to have your event rescheduled.
- What about reserving the athletic fields or courts, for organized groups or leagues?
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Permits are required for any organized leagues, teams or groups of 20 persons or more.
Please call the Parks and Recreation office at 610-284-1493 or email LansdowneParks@gmail.com for more information.
- What is the fee to reserve use of the athletic fields or courts?
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The fee for 2022 is $150 per team, per day of the week used, for an 8 week season. Eg Monday Nights, 6-8pm, March to May = $150; Monday, Tuesday & Friday nights, 6-8pm, March to May = $450.
While you may submit a request online, leagues are scheduled through the P&R office in late February for Spring & Summer use, and mid-Summer for Fall use.
Certificate of insurance for all leagues is required.
- What other parks can be found in Lansdowne?
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Find out about our parks by taking a look at our Park Finder brochure:
https://www.lansdowneborough.com/DocumentCenter/View/1003/ParksNRecBroFINALweb2
We allow limited rentals at Sycamore Park for small groups/photography/weddings
- What are the park rules?
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(No) Selling or vending…
-ticketed events
-business-related
-political event/rally
Some of the park rules are as follows:
(No Loud) Music…
- Radios/speakers
- DJ equipment
- Live music; amplified v acoustic
- Etc
Food trucks or other mobile catering services, Moonbounce or other inflatables, Projection of movies, Pony or animal rides: need additional review and approval, prior to your event.
Please call our office for details 610-284-1493 or email LansdowneParks@gmail.com.
Other Questions, See Park ordinance, below:
“Prohibited Acts”
- Alcohol or Narcotics
- Fireworks
- Balloons and/or sky lanterns; see Ordinance 2020-01, amendment to Chapter 216, “Littering and Dumping”
- Sales or soliciting Peddling & Soliciting
See the Borough Code Chapter 235
- What does the Borough Code regulate regarding park rentals & use?
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Borough Code 235
Hours of operation.
[Amended 5-3-2017 by Ord. No. 1307]
Lansdowne park areas are open to the public between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. during the summer season, and between 8:00 a.m. and sundown during the remainder of the year unless longer use is authorized by a special permit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the park located in Borough Parking Lot No. 1 (between Lansdowne Avenue and Owen Avenue) shall be open between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
Hazardous conditions.
Any Borough park that becomes hazardous for public use due to weather, water, fire or other conditions may be closed at the discretion of the Park Board.
Prohibited acts.
The following actions are prohibited:
A. Possession or use of alcoholic beverages or narcotics; provided, however, that the possession and use of alcoholic beverages are permitted in the park located in Borough Parking Lot No. 1 (between Lansdowne Avenue and Owen Avenue) during the hours in which such park is open pursuant to § 235-1 above.
[Amended 5-3-2017 by Ord. No. 1307]
B. Boisterous, immoral or indecent conduct.
C. Discarding of trash, garbage or other litter, except into containers provided by the Borough for that purpose for picnickers.
D. Damaging, defacing or destroying or removing any property, building, sign, structure, equipment or other material; driving nails or other hardware into trees.
E. Posting of signs, distributing, selling, servicing or renting of any supplies, equipment, material or commodity whatsoever or soliciting for any purpose, without written authorization.
F. Operating, stopping or parking of any vehicles, except in designated parking areas.
G. Operating any vehicle on roads adjacent to parks in a reckless or negligent manner, in excess of the posted speed limit or in such a manner as to endanger other park users or in violation of laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or any Borough ordinance.
H. Discharge of any type of firearm or air gun, or possession or discharge of any type bows and arrows, slingshots or fireworks.
[Amended 10-20-2010 by Ord. No. 1256]
I. Hunting, trapping and the training of dogs.
J. Camping, picnicking and all fires, except in designated areas and facilities.
K. Ball playing or horseshoe pitching, except in designated areas.
L. Pets except when kept on a leash not exceeding six feet in length and attended at all times and only in conformity with all Borough ordinances relating to control of animals.[1]
[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 129, Animals.
M. All groups or gatherings of 20 persons or more except when granted a permit by the Park Board.
N. The operation of any type of motor vehicle, such as minibikes, snowmobiles, motorcycles or any vehicle with a motor attached, in any of the parks.
O. Operation of model airplanes or other motorized model equipment unless authorized by the Park Board.
P. Abandoning of any motor vehicle or the repairing of any motor vehicle on parkland or on motor vehicle parking facilities.
Violations and penalties.
[Amended 9-21-1988 by Ord. No. 1080; 6-16-1999 by Ord. No. 1155]
Any person violating any of the above rules and regulations shall, upon conviction thereof before a Magisterial District Judge, be subject to a fine of not more that $600, plus costs of prosecution, and, in default of payment of such fine and costs, to imprisonment for not more than 30 days.