Online Registration and Rentals

Q:  I just created an account but the system is not allowing me to sign in.  What’s wrong?
A:  Account activation is not immediate.  It can take 2-3 business days.  During busy periods (such as the day we kick off summer registrations in March or April) our staff are working to activate these accounts as soon as possible but it still may take a few hours depending on how many accounts must be activated at that point in time.  Accounts will be activated in the order received.

Q:  I tried to set up an account but the system seems to think I already have an account.  I’ve never done anything online with Park & Rec.  Why does it think I have an account? 
A:  You may have signed up for programming at our office, purchased pool or beach passes, or rented a facility (picnic shelter, field, garden plot, etc.) in the past.  Any purchase/rental/enrollment with Bloomington Parks and Recreation would have created an account, even if it was not done online.

Q:  I’m trying to retrieve my username (or reset my password) and I’ve entered every email address I’ve ever had but the system doesn’t recognize it.  I know I have an account.  What’s wrong?
A:  There are multiple possible reasons: 

• It’s possible that when your account was initially created we did not have your email address to list on your account.  This happens frequently if the account was created when purchasing aquatic center passes or beach parking passes. 
• The other possibility is that you don’t actually have an account with us.  Many people get Park & Rec programming confused with school district/community education programming and our registration programs are not the same.
  
  Contact the Park & Rec office to have your email address added to your account or to confirm that you do already have an account with Parks and Recreation.

Q:  I’m trying to retrieve my username (or reset my password) and I no longer have access to the email account that was listed on my account.  How can I obtain my user information? 
A:  Contact the Park & Rec office to update your account with your current email address.

Q:  One of my children is not listed on the account, how do I add him? 
A:  Certain changes such as adding a family member, correcting a listed family member’s date of birth or grade or changing your address cannot be done online.  Contact the Parks and Recreation office for assistance.

Q:  I have moved to a new address.  How do I change my address in this system?
A:  After you have logged in, simply click on the My Account tab and then on Household and Member in the Update section  

Q:  I see that my child’s grade (or date of birth) is listed incorrectly on my account.  How do I fix that? 
A:  Certain changes such as adding a family member, correcting a listed family member’s date of birth or grade or changing your address cannot be done online.  Contact the Parks and Recreation office for assistance.

Q:  I can’t find the program/camp that I’m looking for. 
A:  Possible reasons include:

• You’re on the wrong website for the program that you’re interested in.  If you’re looking for a school district program or something through the Bloomington Athletic Association, those programs are not registered through Parks and Recreation.  If you accidentally reached our website but were looking for a program offered in Bloomington, IL or Bloomington, IN, that would be a good reason you aren’t seeing the program – and don’t worry, you’re not the first person to make that mistake!
• If you entered specific search criteria at the top of the page you need to click on the search button after you select your search criteria or possibly you have the wrong search criteria selected at the top of the page.  The easiest way to look for a program is to go back to the online registration home page and click on one of the photo options for programming and then simply scroll through the pages by using the Next Page option at the bottom of each page.

Q: What grade do I enter for summer programs?  The grade my child just completed or the grade they will be in next fall? 
A: Enter the grade for the following fall.

Q:  I don’t see the option to buy pool passes online.  Can I buy them online?
A:  Yes!  Starting in 2021 season passes can be purchased for the Bloomington Family Aquatic Center online!  Just click on the Membership option in the Browse section or click on the photo labeled Aquatics Season Passes.

Q:  I put my son’s camp into my cart but it is not showing him as an option to pick the participant’s name. 
A:  Either your son is not listed on your account or his listed age/grade conflicts with the age/grade requirement for the program you have chosen.  Go to the My Account tab to view how this family member is listed on the account and contact Parks and Recreation with any corrections that need to be made.

Q:  I forgot to list my child’s friend request for camp when I registered my child.  How do I add that?
A:  Any changes to the questions relating to a program for which you registered (friend request, special needs, Kota transportation, etc.) needs to be done through the Parks and Recreation office.  If this happens the first day of registration, please wait a day or two to contact us (when our office isn’t quite so busy).

Q: Can I put more than one child into a program in the same transaction? 
A:  If both of the children are going into the exact same program (same week, same age/grade group, etc.) you can.  For example, if they are both going into Camp Kota session 1 and one is going into 4th grade and the other into 5th, you can put Camp Kota Session 1 grade 4-5 in your cart and when you are asked to choose which family member is registering, simply click on both of the children’s names.  I

Q:  Our son has a summer birthday so we started him in school a year later than he could have started.  He is only going into 1st grade but I want to sign him up for a 2nd grade program.  Is there a way to make that work?
A:  If the program registration is by grade we do follow the child’s actual grade and not what he/she could have been in.  This means that for programs that register by grade you would only be able to consider 1st grade programs.

Q:  It’s past the deadline to sign up for a program but it looks like the program wasn’t full.  Can we still register?
A:  Contact the Parks and Recreation office.  Late registrations are not always possible, it depends upon the program.

Q:  I accidentally signed the wrong child up for a program.  How can I fix that?
A:  That is not something that you can fix online, just contact our office as soon as possible, we’ll be happy to help!

Q:  I need to pay by check or cash.  Can I still use the online system?
A:  The only way to pay by check or cash is through our office.  If you are hoping to use the online system on kick-off day, contact our office well in advance to make arrangements ahead of time.

Q:  My credit card isn’t being accepted.  It doesn’t expire until the end of this month so it should still be good. 
A:  If you’ve received the replacement card in the mail and someone from your household has activated the new card it most likely automatically deactivated the card you are using even though the date on the card shows it has not yet expired.  You’ll need to use a the new card you've received or a different card.

Q:  I have submitted an application and qualified for fee assistance for the current year.  If I register online will it ask me to pay full price?
A:  If you have qualified for the current year the online system will only ask you to pay the discounted amount.

Q:  I would like to pay for half of the camp fee now and half next month.  The online registration looks like it’s going to require me to pay in full, is that correct?
A:  Yes, Parks and Recreation requires payment in full to register for any programming.  If you are a Bloomington resident and believe you may qualify for our Fee Assistance Program, check out the Fee Assistance page of our website.  You must apply and be accepted into the program prior to registration.  No refunds will be given if you qualify for the program after the registration has been processed.  Applications may take up to one week to process.
If you have extenuating circumstances and would like to discuss a payment plan, contact Parks and Recreation.

Q:  I’m signing up for a full summer program but it is already late July.  Do I still have to pay the full amount or will the fee be prorated?
A:  You will need to pay the full amount.  We do not prorate fees for late registrations for any of our programs.

Q:  How can I process a cancellation online? 
A:  We hope to roll this capability out in the very near future.  In the meantime, please contact Parks and Recreation. Be aware of the cancellation policy in order to be able to obtain any sort of refund, if allowed.

Q:  Why didn’t I receive my receipt via email?
A:  Make certain we have an accurate email address on your account by going to the My Account tab and then looking at the Household & Member option in the Update section.  You can correct/update your email address there.  If your email address was shown correctly, check your spam filter and adjust your settings to receive email from parksrec@bloomingtonMN.gov.  If you need to reprint a receipt you can do that in the My Account tab too.

Q:  I signed my child up for the wrong week of camp.  How can I transfer him to the right week?
A:  Transfers cannot be processed online. We hope to offer this option in the very near future. In the meantime, contact Parks and Recreation via phone, email, or in person as soon as possible.  Please be aware of the transfer policy in order to be able to obtain any sort of refund for the class you are moving from.

Q:  It looks like the program my daughter was interested in has a waiting list.  How do I get her on the waiting list?  Do I have to pay to be on the waiting list?
A: Process the registration online as you typically would.  When it advises you that the program is full, simply agree when asked if you would like to be placed on the waiting list.  Your receipt will show what number the participant is on the waiting list.  You will not be required to pay for the program but you do still need to check out to finalize the waitlist spot.  Make certain the contact information (phone and email) is current on your account as we will try to contact you by both email and phone if we are able to offer you a spot in the program.

Q:  When looking to see what canoe racks are available to rent they all show up as unavailable?  Are they sold out? 
A:  Make certain you have adjusted the date in search criteria to show the correct date.  For canoe racks and garden plots you must use the first day of the rental season for the upcoming year.  Then click on search ro refresh the results.  Everything that has not already been rented will show up as Available but keep in mind if you are processing your rental during the return renter time period the system will only allow you to complete the rental process if you are renting the exact same rack/plot you had last year.

Q:  I know that during the return renter priority period I can only rent the same garden plots as I has last year but I don’t remember what my plot number was last year.  How can I find out what garden plot I rented last year? 
A:  After logging in to your online account, click on the My Account tab to find last year’s receipt.  The receipt will show your receipt number(s).  You can also call the Parks and Recreation office at 952-563-8877.

Q:  I want to register my team for a league and we have a sponsor paying for half of the registration fee.  I have a check from them.  How can I register online?
A:  To guarantee your spot the fastest way is to pay the full amount with a credit card.  You can then bring the sponsor check to the Parks and Recreation office for processing; we will then issue a refund to your card in the amount of the check, which can take up to 5 business days to reflect in your account.  (If you have the check in hand, it may work out best to register in person at our office.)

Q:  My team played last year and we want to register as a returning team in the same league but our manager who had the information on our account is no longer part of our team.  How can we get the user information to access our team’s account to register during the return team priority registration period?
A:  With a change in manager, registration must be completed via our hardcopy registration form.  There is a place on the form to indicate a switch in the manager.  Email the completed registration to the League Director and Sports Coordinator with the former manager cc’d stating that there is a transition in team management.  Staff will create a new account for the new manager and process the priority registration in-house.

Q:  We are a returning softball team from last summer but would like to play in a different league this summer.  How do we register?
A:  This falls under our transfer policy.  You must register for the same league and night you played in last year; then email the League Director and Sports Coordinator your request for a transfer to a new league or night.  In the email please include your team name, the night and/or league you played in last year and the league and/or night to which you are requesting to move.  Our hardcopy registration form has a section to indicate a transfer request, so this medium can also be used.  Once priority registration closes, we will evaluate our league numbers and notify you if your request has been accepted or denied.  Transfers are subject to league availability and are processed in the order received.

Q:  We registered online last year, but this year my team isn’t recognized as a returning team and I am getting an error when trying to register, what should I do?
A:  If you are registering for the same league, on the same night, for the same season of play (see the above Q and A) this situation normally occurs when individuals have multiple accounts. If you have your other/additional account information available try using that, otherwise you can contact us at the number listed below or via email (parksrec@BloomingtonMN.gov) and we can merge or reset your account.

Q:  There was no spot to list my team members’ names when I set up my team’s account and registered.  Did I miss something?
A:  No worries! You didn’t miss anything.  You will receive a roster to complete at a future date.

Q:  Your price listed online is different than what you advertise in your league information, what is the real price?
A:  Our advertised fee has the tax included, and our online price shows the pre-tax price, tax will be included before you are asked to pay. Refer to our information and registration material found here for accurate post-tax pricing.