Communities are changing fast and so are their expectations. Families want quick answers, easier registration, and access to help 24/7. Meanwhile, staff are stretched thin, budgets are tight, and recreation departments are being asked to do more with less.
With the wrong technology, this feels impossible. With the right technology, a few intentional steps can transform the way your organization operates.
This recap of our webinar, Modernizing Parks & Recreation: Future-Ready Platform Built for What’s Next, hosted by Lisa Baldwin, breaks down how technology has evolved, how AI is reshaping recreation services, and why unified, on-platform AI is becoming essential for the next decade of Parks & Rec.
Here’s what we will cover:
- How recreation technology has evolved — from paper forms and long lines to mobile-friendly tools and now AI-powered registration agents.
- How AI is already supporting Parks and Recreation — everything from program registration, facility booking, data summaries, and staff workflows.
- Why on-platform, native technology matters — how Traction Rec, built on Salesforce, helps cities modernize without the complexity.
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Evolving with your community’s needs
Over the last 25 years, recreation technology has completely transformed how departments serve their communities. It wasn’t long ago that parents lined up outside community centers with paper forms, checks, and printed activity guides, hoping to secure a spot before heading to work. Online registration changed that, and the shift continued as families began expecting mobile-friendly tools they could use anytime, anywhere.
Now, we’re entering the next major shift... AI. One of the first places Parks and Recreation will feel this change is through AI Registration Agents. These agents allow busy community members to ask questions, check eligibility, and even register for programs anytime, anywhere, and in any language.
But AI can only be as good as the platform behind it. Real impact happens when your technology is unified, connected, and powered by clean, real-time data that gives AI the foundation it needs to take meaningful action.
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Start small, see big impact: AI in Parks & Rec today
AI doesn't have to be a huge new task. Start small and explore safely by experimenting with AI that is embedded in tools you already use, like Zoom, Google Workspace, and Canva.
Here are the four ways Parks and Recreation organizations are using AI today:
- Content creation
Programs, emails, brochures, and social posts are drafted in seconds, helping staff communicate faster and skip the “blank page” struggle. - Agentic AI (AI that takes action)
Instead of just answering questions, AI agents can register participants, book facilities, ask follow-up questions, and support families in multiple languages. - Summaries and quick insights
Staff can ask for summaries of reports, spreadsheets, policies, or meeting notes in plain language and get back clean, usable information instantly. - Predictions that guide operations
AI helps highlight programs at risk, identify when maintenance is needed, and surface participation trends so teams can plan proactively.
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Why Traction Rec is the platform built for what’s next
Traction Rec is built entirely on Salesforce, the world’s #1 CRM. That means your Parks and Recreation management system isn’t sitting off to the side or stitched together through multiple vendors – it’s part of one connected, secure platform designed to grow with your community.
At the core of this approach is a unified system of record. All your data lives in one place, creating a single source of truth that eliminates tab-switching, manual workarounds, and mismatched information. Staff get clean, reliable data they can act on, and native AI Agents can access that same real-time information safely and securely.
Customers also benefit from Salesforce’s continual investment in trusted, on-platform AI. New capabilities roll out regularly, and Traction Rec can adopt and extend them for the unique needs of Parks and Recreation without messy integrations or costly custom builds.
This strong foundation is what makes forward-thinking tools possible, including AI-powered registration agents, front-desk agents, and mobile-friendly staff experiences. Together, these capabilities simplify operations, support families more effectively, and give teams back the time they need to focus on delivering great community programs.
Learn more about Traction Rec’s Always-On AI Agents
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Now you're ready for what's next!
Modernizing doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. The cities that thrive in 2026 and beyond won’t be the ones with the most software, they’ll be the ones using well-connected, secure, flexible systems that evolve as quickly as their communities.
Watch the complete webinar
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FnBSEWEMZXs?si=q24qvadg2-8Gnqyf" title="Modernizing parks and recreation: future-ready platform built for what’s next" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>Modernizing parks and recreation: future-ready platform built for what’s next