Pennsylvania Act 1919-322 — MUNICIPALITIES EMPOWERED TO MAINTAIN INDOOR RECREATION CENTER

Act text

MUNICIPALITIES EMPOWERED TO MAINTAIN INDOOR RECREATION CENTER
                  Act of Jul. 8, 1919, P.L. 784, No. 322              Cl. 11
                                  AN ACT

     Empowering cities of the second and third classes, boroughs, and
        counties, to acquire, maintain, and operate playgrounds,
        playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming pools, and
        indoor recreation centers; authorizing school districts to
        join in the maintenance and operation of said activities; and
        authorizing the issue of bonds and the levy of taxes for such
        purposes.

        Section 1.  Be it enacted, &c., That the city council of any
     city of the second or third class, or the borough council of any
     borough, or the township supervisors or township commissioners,
     as the case may be, of any township, or the county commissioners
     of any county, may designate and set apart for use as parks,
     playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming
     pools, or indoor recreation centers, any lands or buildings
     owned by such city, borough, township, or county, and not
     dedicated or devoted to other public use. Such city, borough,
     township, or county may, in such manner as may be authorized or
     provided by law for the acquisition of lands or buildings for
     public purposes in such city, borough, township, or county,
     acquire lands or buildings therein for use as parks,
     playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming
     pools, or indoor recreation centers, or, if there be no law
     authorizing such acquisition, the city council or the borough
     council or the township supervisors or township commissioners or
     the county commissioners, as the case may be, may acquire lands
     or buildings for such purposes by gift or purchase, or may lease
     lands or buildings in such city, borough, township, or county
     for temporary use for such purposes.
        (1 amended Mar. 24, 1927, P.L.56, No.38)
        Section 2.  The authority to supervise and maintain parks,
     playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming
     pools, or indoor recreation centers may be vested in any
     existing body or board or in a park board or recreation board,
     as the city or borough council or the township supervisors or
     the township commissioners or the county commissioners may
     determine. The local authorities of any such city, borough,
     township, or county may equip, operate and maintain the parks,
     playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, swimming pools, public
     baths or indoor recreation centers, as authorized by this act.
     Such local authorities may, for the purpose of carrying out the
     provisions of this act, employ play leaders, recreation
     directors, supervisors, superintendents, or any other officers
     or employes as they deem proper.
        (2 amended Mar. 24, 1927, P.L.56, No.38)
        Section 3.  If the city or borough council or township
     supervisors or township commissioners or the county
     commissioners shall determine that the power to equip, operate,
     and maintain parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public
     baths, swimming pools, or recreation centers shall be exercised
     by a park board or recreation board, they may establish, in said
     city, borough, township, or county, such park board or
     recreation board, which shall possess all the powers, and be
     subject to all the responsibilities, of the respective local
     authorities under this act. Either such boards, when
     established, shall consist of five persons, and, when
     established in a city or borough two of the members shall be
     members of the school board. The members of such boards shall be
     appointed by the mayor of such city or the burgess of such
     borough or the supervisors or commissioners of such township or
     the commissioners of such county, and shall serve for terms of
     five years or until their successors are appointed, except that
     the members of such board first appointed shall be appointed for
     such terms that the term of one member shall expire annually
     thereafter. Members of such board shall serve without pay. Women
     shall be eligible for appointment. Vacancies in such board
     occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be for the
     unexpired term, and shall be filled in the same manner as
     original appointments.
        (3 amended Mar. 24, 1927, P.L.56, No.38)

        Compiler's Note:  Section 9(c) of Act 173 of 1978 provided
            that section 3 is repealed insofar as it is inconsistent
            with 1 Pa.C.S. § 2301(c) (relating to equality of rights
            based on sex).
        Section 4.  The members of a park board or recreation board,
     established pursuant to this act, shall elect their own chairman
     and secretary and select all other necessary officers, to serve
     for a period of one year, and may employ such persons as may be
     needed as authorized by this act. Such boards shall have power
     to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of all business
     within their jurisdiction.
        (4 amended Mar. 24, 1927, P.L.56, No.38)
        Section 5.  Any two or more of the following units, namely,
     cities of the second and third classes, counties, townships and
     boroughs or any combination or number of such units, may jointly
     acquire property for, and operate and maintain, any parks,
     playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming
     pools, or indoor recreation centers. Any school district shall
     have the power to join with any city, borough, township, or
     county or any combination thereof in equipping, operating and
     maintaining parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public
     baths, swimming pools, and indoor recreation centers, and may
     appropriate money therefor.
        (5 amended Mar. 24, 1927, P.L.56, No.38)
        Compiler's Note:  Section 2701 of Act 14 of 1949 provided
            that section 5 is repealed insofar as it confers powers
            and imposes duties on school districts.
        Section 6.  The city or borough council or the township
     supervisors or the township commissioners, as the case may be,
     or the county commissioners, may issue bonds for the purpose of
     acquiring lands or buildings for parks, playgrounds, playfields,
     gymnasiums, swimming pools, public baths, or indoor recreation
     centers and for the equipment thereof.
        (6 amended Mar. 24, 1927, P.L.56, No.38)
        Section 7.  All expenses incurred in the operation of such
     parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, swimming pools,
     public baths, and indoor recreation centers, established as
     herein provided, shall be payable from the treasury of such
     city, borough, township, county, or school district. The local
     authorities of such city, borough, township, county, or school
     district having power to appropriate money therein, may annually
     appropriate and cause to be raised by taxation such tax, not to
     exceed two mills on the dollar of the assessed valuation of
     taxable property in such city, borough, township, county, or
     school district, for the purpose of maintaining and operating
     parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths,
     swimming pools, and recreation centers.
        (7 amended Mar. 24, 1927, P.L.56, No.38)
        Compiler's Note:  Section 2701 of Act 14 of 1949 provided
            that section 7 is repealed insofar as it confers powers
            and imposes duties on school districts.