Burbank OKs use of new reservation system for city classes, events
The Burbank Parks and Recreation Department is expected to soon update its registration software to better serve the public’s needs.
The City Council unanimously voted on Tuesday to allow the department to switch to a new system called CivicPlus, which aims to make it easier for users to make reservations for Burbank’s various classes and programs, as well as increase reliability.
The new system, which is expected to be fully implemented by October, has a more polished interface than the city’s current system, called eTrak-Plus, which the Parks and Recreation Department has been using since 2013, said Cathryn LaBrado, the recreation services manager for the city.
LaBrado showed the City Council screenshots of CivicPlus’ interface, which color codes each activity category and allows users to search and sort for specific classes.
The public can also download and use CivicPlus’ mobile app to search for classes and make reservations.
On the city’s end, LaBrado said the new system organizes current activities by time and day and is guaranteed by the manufacturer to be reliable 99.9% of the time, LaBrado said.
Additionally, CivicPlus can be seamlessly integrated with other systems the city uses, such as Oracle, PayPal and a ballfield light-management program.
LaBrado said the Parks and Recreation Department offers more than 1,200 classes and programs each year — such as activities at the Joslyn Adult Center, recreation classes, facility reservations and special events.
There are more than 55,000 customers registered in the current system and more than 50,000 transactions and reservations are made annually, or about 140 times per day, LaBrado said.
That results in about $3.1 million generated by the department each year, LaBrado added.
CivicPlus is projected to cost Burbank $117,195 during the first year. That includes a $47,925 implementation fee, $48,500 in annual service fees and $20,770 for hardware.
The city has the option to extend the service for additional one-year periods.
LaBrado said costs should plateau a bit over the second and third years, which are projected to be about $49,000 each year.
