The City of Fort St. John works responsibly to manage recreational spaces equitably, meeting both current and future demands of all users. An allocation process is conducted among user groups. After the allocation period has closed, all facilities are rented on a first-come, first-served basis for any remaining vacant time slots. To learn about rentals outside of the allocation process, visit our Rentals page.
The City will coordinate, schedule, and operate the recreation facilities to ensure optimum usage and programming for regular user groups through allocation processes.
Groups or organizations requesting to reserve space at the recreational facilities must adhere to Council Policy No. 117 - Recreation Facility Allocation Policy [PDF/596KB] and submission dates.
Allocation Schedules
Allocations are scheduled throughout the year based on activity. All those interested in regular access to recreational facilities are encouraged to participate in the facility allocation process.
New and emerging sports and cultural activities that are interested in being included in the allocation process are invited to participate. For more information, please email Reservations.
| Allocation Type | Available Dates | Open for Requests | Allocation Meeting | Schedule Published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Festival Plaza (Summer / Fall) | May 1 - October 31, 2026 | January 9 - 30, 2026 | via email | March 2, 2026 |
| Outdoor Fields | May 1 - September 3, 2026 | January 9 - 30, 2026 | March 11, 2026 at 6:30 pm | March 20, 2026 |
| Dry Floor | May 1 - August 31, 2026 | January 9 - 30, 2026 | via email | March 20, 2026 |
| Ice Surfaces | August 16, 2026 - April 25, 2025 | May 11 - 29, 2026 | June 3, 2026 at 6:30 pm | June 30, 2026 |
| Fitness Areas | September 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027 | April 24 - May 8, 2026 | via email | June 30, 2026 |
| Indoor Pitch | September 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027 | May 1 - 15, 2026 | June 10, 2026 at 6:30 pm | June 30, 2026 |
| Aquatics | October 1, 2026 - August 31, 2027 | July 10 - 24, 2026 | via email | August 28, 2026 |
User Group Categories
The City of Fort St. John uses a benefit-based approach to set fees per category of user group. The following are the four categories of user groups:
Youth Public Recreation
A non-profit organization organized and operated for social welfare, civic improvement, pleasure, and/or recreation. 75% of the membership must be 18 years of age or under to qualify for youth status. Examples include Girl Guides, Scouts, and Minor Sports groups.
Adult Public Recreation
A non-profit organization organized and operated for social welfare, civic improvement, pleasure, and/or recreation. Groups that do not meet the "75% under the age of 18" bylaw would qualify for adult status. Examples include Fort St. John Recreation Hockey or North Peace Potter's Guild.
Private Group
A private patron (individual) or organization requesting the use of a facility for a private function where no profit is being generated for use by that group would qualify for private status. Examples include family reunions, weddings, picnics, church congregation activities, or a service club annual general meeting.
Commercial Entity
A company requesting the use of a facility for its own profit would qualify for commercial status. Examples include an entertainment promoter, local radio station, travelling circus, or the NHL Old-timers Promotional Show. This also includes other levels of government.