The facilities and grounds, hereafter referred to as SJAC, of the Parish of St. John’s Anglican Church, Halifax, hereafter referred to as the Parish, are held in trust for the use and benefit of the ministry and members of the Parish. SJAC is primarily intended as facilities and grounds for the established ministries and events of the Parish, and as such, these events and ministries always will take precedence over all other events, outside ministries, and other requests.

From time to time, SJAC, or parts of SJAC, may be made available for usage as long as such usage does not conflict with the primary purpose of the Parish and is carried out adhering to the following policy and procedures:

PURPOSE OF EVENT/ACTIVITY:

Any and all events/activities that are to take place at SJAC must first meet a basic compatibility test and be deemed appropriate. Events/activities must in no way conflict with, detract from, or even confuse the statement of faith and lifestyle standards of the Parish, Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, and the Anglican Church of Canada. Smoking on the premises is restricted and the use of canabis products and illegal drugs on the premises is prohibited. Activities that involve gambling are not permitted. A provincial license must be obtained for events where alcohol beverages are to be served and alcohol consumption by attendees is to be limited to a non-intoxicating amount for social purposes only.

Our Parish Administrative Assistant and/or Rector, under the direction and authority of the Rector, Wardens, and Parish Council will determine compatibility of requested bookings. When a disagreement arises, or a circumstance that is deemed unclear or questionable, the Rector will bring such usage request before the Parish Council at its next regular meeting, which has the final authority on SJAC usage.

WEDDINGS:

Weddings only can be performed at SJAC by persons who have permission from the Rector, who are authorized by their judicatory, and are licensed by the Province of Nova Scotia to perform marriages.

PUBLICITY & ADVERTISING:

Only with a signed Facilities User Agreement may publicity for an event/activity begin. All publicity of the event/activity must include the sponsoring Group’s name and a contact name and contact information. If the Parish is to be identified in any publicity, it must use the words “St. John’s Anglican Church, Halifax” to indicate the location of the event. Any Parish logo may not be used on any material without expressed written permission. Publicity for an event that is co-sponsored by the Parish must have the approval of the Rector or Parish Council. All sponsorship and advertising appearing in promotional mediums, print and electronic, must receive prior approval of the Parish before publication and distribution.

USAGE GUIDELINE:

• All laws and directives of civil authorities having jusrisdiction must be obeyed and followed by persons attending on the property and premises of SJAC.
• The maximum seating capacity in the Worship Centre is 225 on the floor plus 50 on the platform.
• The maximum capacities in the Chapel are 35 seated and 60 standing.
• The maximum capacities in the Gathering Hall are 96 galley style table seating and 150 standing.
• All events must be of a “G” rating for family attendance even if intended for an adult only audience. Engaged artists or performers must be advised of this policy by the Group.
• Only water as food/beverage is permitted on the Worship Centre platform.
• All food/beverage plans must be approved at time of booking.
• Gambling in any form is not permitted.
• SJAC is a scent sensitivity aware facility. Please respect the health and comfort of other persons by not wearing and using scented products while at SJAC.
• When the Kitchen is to be used for the preparation and serving of food, the Parish must be supplied with a copy of the Certificate of attendance at and passing of a Province of Nova Scotia approved food handler’s course for all persons who will be preparing and serving food.
• Items of value found and turned in to Parish staff will not be kept for more than 15 days. After 15 days, articles left behind will be considered abandoned and disposed of at the discretion of Parish staff. Items deemed to be of little or no value may be disposed of immediately at the discretion of Parish staff.
• The Parish reserves the right to limit the noise level in any part, or all, of our facilities for any reason.
• Facilities will be set differently from the normal SJAC pattern by request only, which may require an additional fee and will be arranged as noted in the Facilities Usage Agreement. Rooms, accepting the Worship Space, may be rearranged by the Group if the Group returns the room to its original arrangement or the Group pays an additional reset fee to have this task performed by the Parish.
• No SJAC equipment, unless previously arranged, may be used by the Group and event/activity participants and guests; this includes, but is not limited to, musical instruments and a/v equipment.
• It is the responsibility of the group or organization to see that no exit door is blocked or propped open.
• All parking is to be in marked parking lot spaces only excepting for short periods of time for the unloading and loading of equipment and supplies.
• Self-standing decorations and advertisements may be used inside. No decorations or advertisements may be used outside without expressed written permission.
• No items may be attached to the wall, window, and floor in any space with anything that will puncture or mar the surface. Nothing is to be attached to the ceiling or fixtures.
• No modifications may be made to the facilities without expressed written permission from the Parish.
• Helium filled balloons may be used only with expressed permission.
• No table sprinkles, confetti, and rice as confetti are permitted at SJAC, inside and outside.
• The Parish is not responsible for damage to or loss of any equipment, written materials, and other items on its premises prior to, during, and following any event/activity by the Group, agents and contractors of the Group, and their participants and guests.
• Event/activity organizers must insure the enforcement of these rules and regulations, and the confinement of people and activities to the area agreed to under the Facilities Usage Agreement.

ALCOHOL, CANNABIS, AND SMOKING:

• Alcohol beverages (alcohol) are permitted to be served, with applicable licenses and insurance, in the context of a social event. Otherwise, the serving and consumption of alcohol at SJAC is not permitted.
• No alcohol may be served until the Parish has been provided with an insurance certificate of liability with the Parish named as an additional insured and that indicates coverage is in place for the serving of alcohol.
• No alcohol is permitted to be consumed at SJAC, which have not been served following these regulations. No alcohol is to be brought to SJAC for any purpose other than that to be served under the applicable licenses, insurance, and control of the Group.
• No alcohol may be served until the Parish has been provided with a copy of the necessary provincial license to serve alcohol obtained in the name of the Group for the specific event/activity scheduled.
• The Group will be responsible for insuring that no participants and guests consume excessive alcohol as to become intoxicated.
• At all functions where alcohol is to be served, two parish personnel will be required to be present and the Group will be responsible for the fee related to this required presence.
• The Parish may determine, dependant on the nature of the event or activity and the number of participants and guests, trained security personnel must be present at an event where alcohol is to be served and, if such is determined, the Group will be required to engage such and bear the associated costs.
• SJAC is a smoking and drug restricted property; this includes the parking lot and grounds.
• The use of illicit drugs is not permitted any where in the building and on the grounds of SJAC.
• The consumption of cannabis products in any form and for any purpose is not permitted any where in the building and on the grounds of SJAC.
• Smoking, which includes all tobacco and vapour products, is prohibited in all areas of SJAC including inside the building, the parking lot, and grounds. Smokers needing to smoke must smoke in their vehicles with windows closed or leave the premises and grounds. Butts found left behind after an event may be cause for forfeiture of all or a portion of the damage/cleaning deposit.

OTHER ITEMS:

• The Contact Person as noted on the Facilities Usage Agreement is responsible for conducting the event/activity in full compliance with Parish policies and applicable Municipal, Provincial, and Federal laws. The Contact Person also will assume full responsibility for the conduct of any participants and guests in attendance.
• The Group may be required, as deemed by the Parish and prior to the event/activity, to provide to the Parish a Certificate of Liability Insurance with the Parish noted as an additional insured location. Such a certificate will be required in advance for all events/activities where alcohol will be served.
• The Group agrees to hold the Parish harmless from any and all expenses, costs, and liabilities in connection with any claim that may be presented or asserted against the Parish except for those which may arise through the sole negligence of the Parish and its personnel.
• The Group agrees to indemnify the Parish for any damage that may occur to its property, facilities, and equipment resulting from their use by the Group and its participants and guests.
• The Parish will not be responsible for articles and valuables lost, stolen, or in any way damaged on SJAC property.
• SJAC has a monitored security system.
• Fire regulations indicate that exit doors must not be propped open unless someone is standing at the entrance. The only time these doors should be propped open is for unloading or loading of equipment and, even then, with someone attending the doors.
• The Parish reserves the right to refuse any booking it considers inappropriate or inconsistent with the values and reputation of the Parish, Diocese, or Anglican Church of Canada.
• The signing of the Facilities Usage Agreement shall constitute an acknowledgment by the Group of acceptance of responsibility for any damage to the building, furnishings, or equipment deemed to have occurred, the safety of their participants, and the enforcement of all rules and regulations for use of the facilities during their presence at and use of the facilities.
• SJAC is a nut allergy aware facility. Please respect the health and safety of other persons and do not bring, use, prepare, or consume any nuts or any product containing nuts or nut by-products in SJAC without written permission and strict observance of containment and decontamination procedures.
• When the scheduled event/activity will include vulnerable persons as participants or guests, the Parish must be assured that the Group has done all in its power to mitigate risks including appropriate screening of all event/activity leaders.

FEES AND FEE STRUCTURE:

• All facilities usage fees will be based on the Group’s requests received and derived from a fee structure established and amended from time to time by the Parish and will be clearly stated in the Facilities Usage Agreement. Fees may be set only after full disclosure of all requests is communicated to the Parish. Any additional usages by the Group will be added to the agreement by the Parish and the Group will be responsible to pay the associated fees.
• Fees will be based mainly on the spaces within SJAC that will be used: Fellowship Hall, Kitchen, Worship Centre, Chapel, Gathering room, Meeting room 1, Meeting room 2, Refreshment Counter, and any other spaces. Reasonable use of common areas, washrooms, and parking lot will be included with no extra fee.
• The Group may request the presence of a Parish personnel member, which will bear a cost to the Group. Use of Meeting rooms 1 and 2 and the Kitchen may require the presence of Parish personnel at a cost. The Parish may determine, dependant on the space requested and the nature of the event or activity, one or more Parish personnel must be present and, if such is determined, the Group will be required to bear the associated costs.
• All professional, association, and society fees applicable (i.e. SOCAN, ACTRA) for any event held within SJAC are the sole responsibility of the Group or engaged performers. All costs related to any necessary regulatory fee or license (i.e. liquor licence) are the sole responsibility of the Group.
• A damage/cleaning deposit may be levied. A damage/cleaning deposit will be levied for all events where alcohol is to be served. Determining a forfeiture of a portion or all of the damage/cleaning deposit, for cause, will be at the sole discretion of the Parish.
• Extra fees may be levied for requested services such as but not limited to: janitor, door monitor, a/v technician, a/v equipment usage, and room set-up and reset.

CANCELLATIONS:

• The Group agrees to notify the Parish twenty-eight (28) days in advance of the scheduled event/activity if it wants to cancel the booking. A cancellation fee may apply.
• The Parish agrees to notify the Group fourteen (14) days in advance of the scheduled event/activity if it needs to cancel an event/activity booking for cause. In such case, all fees paid will be refunded and the Parish will not be responsible in any way whatsoever, including any costs to the Group and loss of revenue, due to cancellation of such an event/activity. This notice clause does not apply to Kitchen rentals.
• Parish use and functions will take precedence over rental bookings. For ongoing and regular rental bookings, the Parish will strive to meet its obligations; however some Parish uses may occur from time to time with limited notice (i.e. funerals, memorial services). In such cases, the Parish will attempt to make alternate arrangements for the rental Group with no additional cost, which may included offering alternate space, dates, and times, or the co-sharing of space, as deemed suitable and appropriate to the Parish.
• The Parish will strive to meet its obligations to the Group but will not be held responsible for acts of God, power outages, government regulations, acts of terrorism or war, disaster, strikes, civil disorders, or other emergencies making it illegal or impossible to provide SJAC facilities for the scheduled event/activity. If such events occur, the Parish will not be responsible in any way whatsoever, including any costs to the Group and loss of revenue, due to cancellation of such an event/activity.

AUTHORITY:

In any disagreement or dispute regarding the interpretation and implementation of this Facilities Usage Policy, the Parish has the right and authority, as sole title holder of the SJAC property and facilities, to make and enforce any and all final decisions with resultant actions.

[effective 2022-01-01 subject to change without notice]