(A) Any contracting subdivision, jointly with one or more other contracting subdivisions, in any combination, may acquire property for, construct, operate, and maintain any parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths, swimming pools, indoor recreation centers, educational facilities, or community centers. Any school district, educational service center, or state institution of higher education may provide by the erection of any school, educational service center, or state institution of higher education building or premises, or by the enlargement of, addition to, or reconstruction or improvement of any school, educational service center, or state institution of higher education building or premises, for the inclusion of any such parks, recreational facilities, educational facilities, and community centers to be jointly acquired, constructed, operated, and maintained. Any contracting subdivision, jointly with one or more other contracting subdivisions, in any combination, may equip, operate, and maintain those parks, recreational facilities, educational facilities, and community centers and may appropriate money for those purposes.

Any contracting subdivision agreeing to jointly acquire, construct, operate, or maintain parks, recreational facilities, educational facilities, and community centers pursuant to this section may contribute lands, money, other personal property, or services to the joint venture, as may be agreed upon. Any agreement shall specify the rights of the parties in any lands or personal property contributed.

Any lands acquired by a township park district pursuant to Chapter 511. of the Revised Code and established as a public park or parks may be contributed to a joint venture authorized by this section. Fees may be charged in connection with the use of any recreational facilities, educational facilities, and community centers that may be constructed on those lands.

(B) Any township may, jointly with a private land owner, construct, operate, equip, and maintain free public playgrounds and playfields. Any equipment provided by a township pursuant to this division shall remain township property and shall be used subject to a right of removal by the township.

(C) As used in this section and in sections 755.17 and 755.18 of the Revised Code:

(1) "Community centers" means facilities characterized by all of the following:

(a) They are acquired, constructed, operated, or maintained by contracting subdivisions pursuant to division (A) of this section.

(b) They may be used for governmental, civic, or educational operations or purposes, or recreational activities.

(c) They may be used only by the contracting subdivisions that acquire, construct, operate, or maintain them or by any other person upon terms and conditions determined by those contracting subdivisions.

(2) "Educational service center" has the same meaning as in division (A) of section 3311.05 of the Revised Code.

(3) "Contracting subdivision" means a municipal corporation, township, joint recreation district, township park district, a park district created under Chapter 1545. of the Revised Code, county, school district, educational service center, or state institution of higher education.

(4) "School district" means any of the school districts or joint vocational school districts referred to in section 3311.01 of the Revised Code.

(5) "State institution of higher education" has the same meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 133rd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 166, §101.01, eff. 10/17/2019.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Effective Date: 09-21-2000; 05-06-2005