PLAY UA Scholarship Program Helps UA Residents Participate in Parks & Recreation Programs
“The Play UA assistance that we received was such a great help! It allowed me to have my son participate in two soccer camps, and most importantly to any kindergarten kid, Safety Town. Without the assistance I received I would not have registered him for the soccer camps. I’m so grateful that there was a way to assist me so I can still send him without placing more financial burden on me. I really appreciate it and I want you to know you made a difference in my life, it helped me give more “normal” to my son and helped him fit in with his friends. It is part of the reason I chose to move to UA and why we love living here with the support of our community.”
UA Parks & Rec launched the PLAY UA Financial Assistance Program in 2022, in an effort to support community members who face financial barriers that may prevent them from participating in the department’s programs.
PLAY UA provides a 50% reduction for most program and membership fees – including summer and winter camps (with a cap of $400 for summer day camp assistance), Safety Town, and membership passes for pools, tennis, and the Senior Center’s Studio 55 – for qualifying residents and those who work in Upper Arlington. Participants are also eligible for a 75% reduction in swim lesson fees to allow families to better afford this life-saving skill for their children.
The program is not available for daily admission fees or facility rentals. Assistance will be awarded as funds are available.
To be eligible, applicants must provide proof of residency or employment in Upper Arlington and are required to verify that their household qualifies for the UA Schools Free/Reduced Lunch Program, verify their annual household income meets eligibility criteria, or provide a statement of need.
To ensure the proper use of City funds and to verify that applicants meet the appropriate eligibility criteria, the UA Parks & Recreation Department will randomly select applications for verification purposes.
Funding for the program is coming from a few sources:
- Transaction Fees: A $1 transaction fee has been added to most program registrations, membership passes and facility rentals.
- Donations: It’s possible for individuals to make an additional donation to the PLAY UA Financial Assistance Fund when registering for programs and memberships through the department’s RecTrac software.
Now is the time for families that could benefit from the 2025 PLAY UA Financial Assistance Program to apply.