Sign Up For Parks & Recreation Classes Online

By Kendra Bobowick

Residents can now register for swimming lessons or sign up early for a dance class without rushing to get the paperwork in the mail.

Recreation programming can be done online as of 12:01 am, December 15. Registration can be done from home, at C.H. Booth Library, which offers Internet access, or even on a computer now available at the Parks and Recreation Department office at Town Hall South.

To get started, visit www.newtown-ct.gov and find the link for the Parks & Recreation Department (look at the light blue boxes in the center of the page). Then follow that link to the department’s Winter 2008 Programs.

If you do not have a successful visit to the site, call the recreation office at 270-4340 for help.

There is definitely an advantage to going online for registration over the conventional mail-in or walk-in method for securing a spot in one of the classes.

“It’s a service to people and offers credit cards — they were never taken before,” said Parks and Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian. The online opportunity also allows residents to sign up for a course instantly, without the delay of mailing in their forms.

Are the courses full?

Assistant Director of Recreation RoseAnn Reggiano said, “This way people can access [the site] 24 hours a day.” Find out right away if swimming lessons are booked, for example. Scroll through course categories while online.

Information is broken into categories for youth, adults, music, art, sports, music, and more programs that the Newtown Parks and Recreation Department offers. “Whatever you’re looking for, [the website] takes you right there,” said Ms Reggiano.

Although her department will still accept mailed registration forms, Ms Kasbarian is ultimately aiming for 100 percent online registration, which saves “tremendous” data entry.

“I think in the long run people will like it,” she said.

Ms Reggiano sets the fall of 2008 as the goal for 100 percent online registration.

The site is completely safe for credit card transactions, Ms Kasbarian assured. Her department received system upgrades and equipment to accommodate the online registration. No credit card information is kept on file electronically or elsewhere, she confirmed.