Waupaca offers online registration
By Angie Landsverk
There is a new way to register for a Waupaca Parks and Recreation program or reserve a park shelter.
People may now do so online at https://apm.activecommunities.com/waupacaparknrec, where they first set up an account before registering for programs.
“We want people to know about it and set up their accounts,” said Andrew Whitman, the city’s recreation programmer. “Once they do that, then when they want to sign up for programs, it’s as simple as shopping online.”
They choose an activity, note who is participating in it, put it in their shopping cart and check out using a credit or debit card, he said.
Whitman said the process also includes providing emergency contact information.
Both he and Parks and Recreation Director Aaron Jenson say the move from paper forms to online registration is going to make public access easier.
Last September, the common council voted to purchase ACTIVE Net, a recreation management software system, for the parks and rec department.
On Monday, March 7, the online process opened and became available to the public.
People may sign up and pay for programs from their homes, or wherever they have computer access.
Those who do not have computers at home may visit the rec center, where an Activenet station is being set up for public use, Jenson said.
The computers at the Waupaca Area Public Library are another option, he said.
Whitman said when people go on the site, they are able to look at all the programs offered throughout the year, put programs on their “wish lists” and then choose how they want to be reminded to sign up for the programs.
In the coming weeks, people are also going to be able to rent space in the rec center online, and senior citizens are going to be able to sign up for their memberships there as well.
“In the next couple of weeks, we will be setting up membership cards for the senior center. There will be a barcode on the membership card,” Jenson said.
Senior citizens will scan the card.
“They’re already used to signing in on a paper form,” Jenson said.
This software system will allow the department to track the rec and senior center’s busier times.
That will help in determining staffing levels.
Improved communication with users, staff, umpires and contracted employees is another reason department staff wanted such a program, Jenson said.
He also said it will create efficiency in the office.
The department’s previous database was created by a member of the department’s administrative staff, Jenson said.
The staff member did a great job, but he explained how paper registrations meant all the information had to be put into that database manually.
It was tedious work, and ACTIVE Net will remove some of that workload, allowing staff to work on other projects, Jenson said.
He also said it will be easy for the public to use.
Whitman said department employees will be able to access ACTIVE Net from any computer.
If someone gets injured at Swan Park playing baseball or at South Park’s beach, employees will be able to access emergency contact information immediately.
People may also note allergies when registering for programs.
“We already had computers at Swan and South parks,” Jenson said.
Also new this year at Swan Park is a touch screen during rec-sponsored programs, allowing people to use credit or debit cards when purchasing snacks.
Jenson said it is all about making things more convenient for park users.
Those who have problems or challenges with ACTIVE Net may call the rec center at 715-258-4435 for assistance, Jenson said.