Elmhurst parks seeks new online registration vendor to avoid glitches

Editor's note: This article has been updated to correct when a new registration software system is expected to be in use.

Winter registration for Elmhurst Park District programs will be conducted in waves with three different start dates to help avoid software glitches the district experienced this spring and in 2016.

Online registration for gymnastics programs begins at 8 a.m. Saturday. General registration for other programs kicks off at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 8. And nonresident registration for all programs is scheduled to start Monday, Dec. 17, also at 8 a.m.

Meanwhile, the district is seeking proposals from companies other than current vendor Vermont Systems that can offer online registration that better meets Elmhurst's needs, park board President Vince Spaeth said.

"We need to go out to the marketplace and find a company that can better handle the quirks that we have," he said. "It's really a customer satisfaction thing."

Staff members posted a request for proposals to the district's website Wednesday seeking companies that can provide registration software and run a demo of it in February. Executive Director James Rogers said the district sent the request directly to eight vendors and already has heard from two others who want to be involved. Officials will accept proposals through Jan. 14.

The plan is to contract with a new firm and have a different registration software program in use for registration around winter 2020.

Spaeth said the Rec Trac software from Vermont Systems experienced problems early this year and in 2016 with speed, previewing documents and processing receipts during periods of high use.

"It was obvious that it slowed way down and we had performance issues," Spaeth said.

Other than the first day of each registration period, when demand is highest, Rogers said Rec Trac has functioned fine. So he said staff members and the park board's IT committee determined the best workaround is to stagger registration cycles so there are not as many people trying to sign up for activities all at once.

"In the long term, we don't want to have to stagger it like that," Spaeth said. "The goal is to do it all on one morning."

To register online for park district programs, visit https://web2.vermontsystems.com/wbwsc/ilelmhurstwt.wsc/splash.html.