SACRAMENTO, CA - Oct. 17, 2002 - With its new 'RecNet' product, RecWare, part of The Active Network and the industry's leader in recreation management software solutions, has eliminated traditional barriers to recreation automation and Internet registration faced by private and municipal recreation departments. Available now, RecNet is a Web-based, hosted software product that allows staff access from any computer at any location, in real-time, without investments in high-speed network connectivity. RecNet is fully hosted on The Active Network's powerful and secure Web servers so cities can offer safe and reliable Internet registration without purchasing and managing their own server infrastructure. Using RecNet, recreation departments now have access to a realistic automation solution that provides effective management at a lower cost, making daily administration easier and increasing customer service.
Sunrise Recreation & Park District in Citrus Heights, Calif., a RecWare customer since 1995, is in the process of implementing RecNet for its entire operation. Past CPRS President Terry Jewell, district administrator for Sunrise, explained, "We put RecNet to test at one of our community centers this past summer. We wanted to connect all of our community centers and automate our whole operation without a huge expense. RecNet solves this. RecNet's Web-based platform is also exciting for us because we can now offer another registration option at our pool sites, or even at a special event. RecNet offers a lot of potential in terms of staff and community benefits." Sunrise Recreation & Park District serves Northeast Sacramento County, which includes a population of more than 160,000 in Citrus Heights, Foothill Farms and Antelope. The district operates and maintains 39 park facilities, over 500 annual recreation programs and operates three community centers and three pool facilities.
RecNet offers the following features and benefits:
- Web-based solution - remote, real-time access from any location with just a computer and phone line, low maintenance: Using an Internet browser, staff can manage all recreation operations from any computer at any location. Because RecNet is Web-based, it does not have the high-speed connectivity demands of a client/server application - cities can use a DSL Internet connection and avoid the complexity of setting up connections to multiple locations. For example, department managers can immediately access the software to run financial reports regardless of whether they are at the office or in other locations. Departments with community centers located throughout different areas also benefit. RecNet is ideal for remotely-located offices such as an aquatic center that needs to provide registration for residents in that location.
RecNet also offers access to real-time data with the ability to view walk-in and Internet registration activity as it happens. Software updates and new enhancements are also automatically installed by The Active Network, saving more staff time.
- Fully hosted solution - secure Internet registration without infrastructure hassles, better customer service: RecNet is fully hosted on The Active Network's secure Web servers so departments can offer safe, reliable Internet registration without purchasing or managing their own server infrastructure. Cities gain the confidence of working directly with a Web registration leader - The Active Network manages more than 40,000 registrations each week for sports events and activities nationwide - and RecWare, a software provider with over a decade of success in the recreation market. All registration information processed through the servers is private and secure. Staff workload and paperwork is reduced when participants use the Web registration capability to enroll and pay online. Rather than standing in lines to obtain information, participants can view class information, check availability and register from their home or office. Participants also receive immediate e-mail confirmation after registering.
"We thought that RecNet would primarily appeal to smaller agencies because it does not require investing in an expensive computing infrastructure. However, we've seen that all organizations, from very small to large, are excited about the advantages of a fully-hosted system. Agencies are literally beating a path to our door to get signed up for this new system," said Duane Harlan, president of the company's RecWare division. "We have been ahead of the industry with Web products in general, but RecNet is clearly a leading-edge innovation that raises the bar even further."
Other RecNet features include:
- Activity registration - Staff can manage all activity enrollment needs, with the ability to view and access activity details, create rosters and daily activity reports, and manage instructors and financial data. Staff can enroll participants or participants can enroll themselves.
- Financial reporting - Staff can run a variety of reports to track payment methods, and track aggregate and individual financial totals.
- Centralized customer database - The RecNet system is fully compatible with the database architecture of RecWare Safari, the company's most powerful desktop software system.
- Facility reservation - The facility reservation capability is integrated with the activity registration function. Staff can browse and select facilities by location, type or keyword and reserve single or multiple facilities in one session. Staff can also print reservation contracts.
For more information about RecNet, e-mail sales@recware.com or call toll-free 1-888-732-9273. The RecWare team will provide RecNet demonstrations at NRPA's Conference & Exposition, October 17-19, 2002 in Tampa, Fla.
About RecWare
RecWare, part of The Active Network, has provided award-winning recreation management software solutions to the city and municipal recreation market for more than a decade. With products such as RecNet, RecWare Safari and ProActive, professionals can access the industry's best recreation management technologies to automate activity registration, facility reservation, point of sale management, league scheduling, financial management, and to offer Internet registration. To learn more about the RecWare product family, visit www.recware.com or call 1-888-732-9273. For more information about The Active Network and its network of online and offline properties, visit www.theactivenetwork.com.