Get ready for fall registration at Chicago's parks. Credit: Courtesy of Chicago Park District
Is “debacle” too strong a word to describe what happened with the Chicago Park District’s online registration system last spring? Ask CPD’s web vendor, which was told to re-engineer software to better process a rush of reservations — you know, the sort of influx caused when too many people are in a panic to be among the first to sign up for too few slots.
Additional tweaks made by CPD to improve registration for fall: separating parks by zone to spread registration over two days. For parks located west of California Avenue, registration is set for Aug. 20, beginning at 9 a.m. For parks east of California, registration will start at 9 a.m. on Aug. 21. In-person signup also varies according to park, typically opening up Aug. 25 or Aug. 27; check here for information about specific parks.
Registration for youth programs has also undergone a revamp aimed at speeding up the process, though you’ll have to update your account information first. If you don’t already have an account, the recommendation is simple: get one. And create a wish list while you’re at it.
CPD fall programming runs Sept. 24 through Dec. 3.