Casper Recreation proposes new monthly membership structure, family passes and expanded scholarships
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Summary
Recreation staff proposed switching to monthly and annual payment options, reintroducing family passes with tiered child pricing, adding joint passes and expanding scholarship eligibility through the Community Recreation Foundation to all ages.
Recreation staff presented a proposed overhaul of Casper’s recreation membership structure: a move to month‑to‑month memberships with an option for annual prepayment, reintroduction of tiered family passes, joint passes that cover multiple facilities, and expansion of scholarship eligibility to all ages through the Community Recreation Foundation.
Nick Whipps, Recreation Manager, explained the three main changes: conversion to monthly memberships with a discounted annual option, reintroduced family passes with tiered prices based on household composition and number of dependents, and a joint pass option to allow users to combine access to multiple recreation facilities. Whipps said the annual cost to access both aquatics and recreation in one example would be $420 for a family pass under the proposed structure. "Our annual membership cost will not increase through this proposed restructured new memberships," Whipps said.
Staff said they coordinated with the Community Recreation Foundation (CRF), a nonprofit partner that has provided scholarships for about 25 years. CRF approved expanding scholarships beyond youth and seniors so eligible adults may also receive financial assistance. Staff said this alignment made it feasible to reintroduce family passes and to offer scholarships for larger household units.
Councilors asked about discounts for military and city employees. Recreation staff said city employees may use rec facilities and are reimbursed through human resources; staff also said a military discount was not currently in the proposed structure but could be added and would be straightforward to include before rollout. Councilors inquired about backend complexity and whether online tools and Active Net (the registration vendor) would support the tiered options; staff said Active Net has been configured and that front‑line staff would receive training.
Staff proposed a June 1 rollout for the new structure and asked for council direction. Councilors signaled support, asked that staff add a military discount, and asked staff to ensure the system is simple for customers and staff. The Community Recreation Foundation’s scholarship expansion and the tiered family pass were presented as key features to increase access and affordability without raising base annual costs.
