In the coming months, the Great Bend Recreation Commission plans some major changes to its computer system, Director Diann Henderson told the GBRC board Monday.
The closed, one-server computer setup will change to a two-server system that will allow the public to reserve ball fields register for activities online. Working with the City of Great Bend and Unified School District 428, it may be possible to reserve other facilities online, Henderson said.
GBRC will also need to upgrade software, such as the Windows operating system that was purchased in 2005.
“We need to develop an overall master plan between now and November,” Henderson told the board. After that, the board will need to learn how changes will impact policies, and to make changes if necessary. For example, current policy now requires providing a paper receipt to people who sign up for activities, but in the future they may need an electronic receipt.
February 2013 is the target month for installing everything and training staff.
Staff reports:
• Leisure Program Coordinator Garet Fitzpatrick said the Recreation Commission plans to offer some after-school activities on days when school gets out at 11:30 a.m. And the next Middle School Dance will be from 7-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, at the Great Bend Activity Center.
• Sports Director Chris Umphres said grade-school children are signed up for flag football, outdoor soccer and volleyball.
• Program Coordinator Megan Hammeke said special needs residents enjoyed line dancing classes and an Easy Cooking with Potatoes class for August. The bowling league and Light & Lively exercise class have started again this month.
• Hammeke said the Fit for Life exercise class for senior citizens did not meet in August because the floor at the Activity Center was being refinished, but that classes resumed in September. This Friday there will be a food safety course at the Great Bend Senior Center, and on Sept. 21 the LifeTeam air ambulance crew will visit the senior center.
Henderson reported that for the month of August, GBRC had 5,307 activity enrollments. There were 4,703 participants, of which 1,643 were spectators. GBRC offered 521 hours of supervised activities.