If your family's year runs on swim lessons, youth sports and summer camp sign-up day, a change is coming. In its September 30 Briefing, the city said Bloomington Parks and Recreation "will begin using Rec, a new online registration system, to make it easier to sign up for activities, reserve facilities and discover programs" starting in January. The city also said more details on the launch will appear in future issues of the Briefing.
This was the second notice. The city first announced the switch in its September 2 Briefing. The September 30 item covered the same ground and didn't answer the question many families have: what happens to their current accounts.
The department's main page has the most detail so far. The city calls Rec a "mobile-first" platform that "works easily on a phone, tablet or computer." With 1 household account, you'll be able to find programs, register, reserve facilities and spaces, and buy and manage some passes and memberships. The same account will show your upcoming activities, registrations and reservations, and the city says you'll get a confirmation right after you pay online. The page says more about "what to expect and how to use the new system" is coming soon.
For now, online sign-ups still go through WebTrac, and that system has a well-known catch. New accounts don't work right away because Parks and Rec office staff have to process them first. The city says that can take up to 2 full business days, and longer during busy stretches like the start of summer registration. Anyone who has tried to sign a kid up for a popular class at 7:01 a.m. with a brand-new account knows how that goes. You may already have an account without knowing it, though. The city says any past purchase, rental or enrollment created one, even if it wasn't done online. That includes a pool pass, a picnic shelter rental or a sign-up at the front desk.
Whether those household accounts move to Rec automatically, whether you'll need a new login, and whether there will be a gap between the 2 systems are still unanswered. The city's advice for now is to watch the Briefing and check blm.mn/parksrec for updates. Questions can go to Parks and Recreation at 952-563-8877 or [email protected]. If you plan to sign up for winter or spring programs, read the instructions when they come out, before the first big registration date of 2027.
