Colette Snowden was on her computer at 5 a.m. last Thursday, waiting to sign up her five-year-old daughter in swimming lessons.
The website wasnB次元官网网址檛 letting her log on, so she hopped in the car and arrived at the West Shore recreation centre by 5:30 a.m. to register in person. There were already six people in line.
B次元官网网址淚 grabbed a coffee and went down there,B次元官网网址� said Snowden, who lives in Colwood. B次元官网网址淟ast time I went down there to register too, then I know I can get what I want.B次元官网网址�
West Shore Parks and Recreation has three main registrations per year, all which start at 6 a.m. and are quickly overwhelmed with parents eager to sign their children into swimming, ice skating or a myriad of activity programs. For new parents, the process can be an intimidating rite-of-passage.
B次元官网网址淪ome of the programs are full at 6:03 a.m.,B次元官网网址� said Corey Burtini, administrative co-ordinator at the rec centre. B次元官网网址淚t keeps you on your toes.B次元官网网址�
Most registrations take place online, but recreation staff fielded hundreds of phone calls and a steady stream of people throughout the day. By 3:30 p.m., staff had just finished returning nearly 200 phone messages regarding fall program registration.
B次元官网网址淓very time I would clear the mailbox it would say B次元官网网址榶our mailbox is empty,B次元官网网址� then when I would pick up the receiver it would say, B次元官网网址榶ou have several messages,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� said Bobbi Neal, community development co-ordinator at West Shore recreation.
In a single day, the rec centre signed up 1,665 children and adults for fall programs. Including after-school care, registration has logged 2,500 clients, up from 1,800 in 2010. B次元官网网址淲ithin the first two hours the online registration was up 28 per cent,B次元官网网址� Burtini noted.
The most popular programs are preschool and swimming and skating lessons, a reflection of the growing population of young families on the West Shore. Programs and lessons for school-aged children also fill up quickly.
To ease the stress on the first day of registration, Burtini suggests people talk to a receptionist at the rec centre and set up an online account, which must be done by a staff member. B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 allow people to make their own accounts because our database would be overloaded,B次元官网网址� she said.
Before registering in person or on the phone, Burtini said the process goes smoother if parents research and know what programs their children want ahead of time.
Further easing the hectic fall registration, this year the recreation centre had after-school care sign up in June, instead of August alongside all the other programs. In June, parents were lined up at 4 a.m. for one of 45 coveted spots in after-school care.
B次元官网网址淎fter-school care registration takes 20 to 30 minutes and signing up for yellow sea horse (swimming lessons) takes three minutes,B次元官网网址� Burtini said. B次元官网网址淵ou can see the level of frustration when someone wants to sign for lessons and are behind two people (registering for child care).B次元官网网址�
reporter@goldstreamgazette.com
