TOWSON, MD—The Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks this week announced new innovative efforts to modernize delivery of programs, advance equity, and streamline services in order to promote transparency and ensure efficient and equitable opportunities for all residents in Baltimore County.

“Baltimore County offers excellent parks, modern facilities and interactive recreational activities, and ensuring community members have streamlined – and equitable – access to these resources is critical,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “This new tool and associated programming updates are both consistent with recreation and parks best management practices and also advances our commitment to building a more transparent, open and accountable government.”

“We are committed to improving the access to and quality of recreational opportunities for all residents and visitors, and solidifying valued relationships with our partner Recreation and Nature Councils, “said Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks Director Bob Smith. “Modernizing our system to meet the growing and changing needs of community members will bring the department in line with national best practices and make the visitor experience better than ever.”

Beginning January 1, 2024, Baltimore County will launch the Baltimore County CivicRec online registration platform, a new one-stop destination for all things related to County recreation facilities, programs, and park reservations.

With CivicRec, for the first time, all Baltimore County Recreation and Parks programs, including nature, environmental, and agriculture programs, opportunities at County Recreation Activity Centers (RACs), and upcoming special events, such as summer camp registrations, will be located in one comprehensive, user-friendly, online platform.

Thanks to this new tool, residents will be able to:

• View availability calendars for pavilions, fields, gyms, activity rooms, and more
• Submit registrations, waivers, and documents online
• Make secure in-person or online payments, print receipts, view account statements and more

Residents can learn more about and explore the new CivicRec platform here.

In addition, Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks officials this week released a new report, Reimagining Recreation and Parks for Baltimore County (PDF), developed in partnership with leading professional management planning firm PROS Consulting, Inc. outlining a long-term, community-driven roadmap to reimagine the department based on national best practices.

Based on the findings in this new report, the Department will also adopt the following changes, effective January 1, 2024:

• Fees for reservations of Baltimore County owned, operated, and maintained pavilions will be collected directly by Baltimore County through the online CivicRec online platform and reinvested in programming, staffing, operational maintenance or capital improvement needs.
• A new, equitable permit field use and priority access policy and process will be implemented. These changes – beginning in spring 2024 – will continue allowing access to community-based recreation programs for youth first, followed by competitive travel, select, club and adult programs before outside organizations. Open community access will be added following permitted scheduled programming.

The Reimagining Recreation and Parks for Baltimore County report is available here (PDF).

More information about Baltimore County Department of Recreation and Parks’ efforts are available here.