I'm learning a lot today. For example, I just posted the phone number if you want to check if your ball diamond / field is rained out. Well it's the same number as Central Scheduling: the place you call if you want to book any city facility, neighbourhood centre, school gymnasium, ice rink, ditch, culvert or patch of grass. Have you ever been there? I have and it's not pretty. 2-3 frazzled looking (but very nice) people up to their eyes in application forms, phones ringing off the hook, etc. Nicest people you've ever met, but wow are they busy.
So here's my first tip (maybe in a series if I figure out more) of how to make your interactions with the City as easy as possible:
Don't call to book something if it's raining. Wait for a nice day, preferably after lunch when you're confident the weather will hold till evening.
Oh, and don't call in June either. They just got 1000+ ice rink applications in the mail from hockey, ringette, figure skating, power skating and community people trying to claim a small piece of our eight (8) hockey rinks. If the others applicants are like me, the schedulers are then dealing with innumerable phone calls from people trying to change dates and times in February of the following year. (hey -- you try to think about power skating when it's +25 outside!)
There you have it. Sunny days, not in June. You'll be fine.
Bonus Tip: If you go in person (they're in a small room at the Fieldhouse), make sure to smile. They're really nice folks!