Recreation programs & registration
In solidarity with public health efforts across British Columbia in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City will suspend operations of City-operated recreation and cultural facilities and program centres, effective Tuesday, March 17 at 8 p.m. until further notice. This includes the following facilities:
- Parkinson Recreation Centre
- Kelowna Community Theatre & Blackbox Theatre
- Rutland Arena
- Memorial Arena
- Rutland Activity Centre
- Parkinson Activity Centre
- Okanagan Mission Activity Centre
- Kinsmen Fieldhouse Hall
- Kinsmen Media Centre
Registration for spring programs is on hold until further notice (with the exception of Neighbourwoods tree sales).
If you are already registered in a spring program, we will be monitoring class cancellation weekly.
At this time, we will not be cancelling full courses, but individual classes may be cancelled on a weekly basis. This ensures that your spot in the course is secured if later classes are able to run. Class cancellations will be updated and posted weekly at rec.kelowna.ca.
Registrants accounts will be automatically credited for any classes missed each week. No action is required.
If you would like to fully withdraw from the course instead, you can do so by calling 250-469-8800 or by emailing recreation@kelowna.ca.
Yes. Please call 250-469-8800 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday or email recreation@kelowna.ca to withdraw yourself from a program. You can choose to be fully refunded or we can credit your account for a future program. The standard $5 withdrawal fee will be waived until further notice. Please note that refunds may take up to 4 weeks to process depending on method of payment.
Due to the progressive nature of swim lessons, cancellations for spring swim lessons will be dealt with in the following manner.
If you're registered in weekday swim lessons:
All weekday swim lessons that start in April have been cancelled. Registrants will have the full course fee automatically credited to their account. Due to the nature of these lessons which require participants to successfully perform certain skills to move on to the next level, we will not be able to proceed with an adapted schedule and these lessons have been cancelled. Weekday swim lessons that begin in May or June will be assessed in mid/late April. Please check back for the latest updates.
If you're registered in weekend swim lessons:
Spring weekend swim lessons we will be assessed week by week. As the weekend schedule is spread out over several months throughout the spring, we will be monitoring over the coming weeks to see if these lessons can proceed with an adapted schedule once the pool reopens. If at any time you would like to fully withdraw from the course, you can do so by calling 250-469-8800.
Yes. All monthly memberships (excluding Access Passes) will automatically be put on hold and will be reactivated automatically upon reopening of the facility without any time lost. If customers would prefer to withdraw their memberships for a credit on account or partial refund, please call 250-469-8800 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Many of these facilities including H20 Adventure + Fitness Centre and Kelowna Family YMCA have also suspended or modified their operations. Patrons are encouraged to check with third-party facilities directly for the latest updates.
As of March 23, all playgrounds and outside exercise facilities in Kelowna are closed – that includes tennis courts, Pickleball courts, basketball courts and other places where groups gather.
Open spaces (including the Apple Bowl Stadium & Mission Artificial Turf) and walkways will remain open for casual use only, however, users of these spaces are reminded to follow provincial health directives and practice safe distancing.
COVID-19 Update: We are no longer taking registration for spring programs. If you are already registered in a spring program, we will be monitoring class cancellation weekly. At this time, we will not be cancelling full courses, but individual classes may be cancelled on a weekly basis. If you are registered for a course and a class within that course is cancelled, your account will automatically be credited for the one cancelled class. This ensures that your spot in the course is secured if later classes are able to run. Class cancellations will be updated and posted weekly at rec.kelowna.ca.
Browse and Register Online
First, make sure you have an online account.
Have you registered online for a City recreation program in the past? If so, you likely already have an account. You can activate it by going to the Create/Reset Password page and entering in your email. If you already have an account, a link will be sent to your inbox to reset your password.
If you receive an error message that the email is incorrect, you'll need to set up a new online account by calling Active Living & Culture at 250-469-8800, emailing recreation@kelowna.ca (note: new account set up requests via email may take a couple days to complete), or by visiting Parkinson Recreation Centre (1800 Parkinson Way).
There's two ways to browse and register for programs online:
- Find programs using the latest online guide.
Click on the cover of the latest Activity & Program Guide at the top of this page and scroll through the online guide to find programs. Once you find one, simply click on the barcode to register! Sign in, then choose the person on your account that you would like to register in the program. - Browse and register for programs in the online registration portal.
You can easily browse for programs and register through the online registration portal. Search by category, age group, or barcode and simply follow the instructions as you go!
Payment options include Visa and Mastercard. Please note that Visa Debit, American Express and Debit are not accepted online.
Can't find what you're looking for? Check out our Recreation Programs and Registration Frequently Asked Questions.
Register in person at Parkinson Recreation Centre (1800 Parkinson Way).
Regular hours are Monday to Friday 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Payment options include credit card, cash, pre-arranged credit on account, cheque and debit.
Register by phone at 250-469-8800
Phone hours are Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Phone lines will be open from 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. on statutory holidays.
During program registration week, phone lines will open at 7 a.m.
Please note that phone wait times are longer than usual on opening registration days.
If you receive a busy signal, all phone lines and hold lines are busy. Please hang up and try again.
Payment options include Visa, Mastercard or pre-arranged credit on account.
You can pick up the latest Activity & Program Guide at the following locations: Parkinson Recreation Centre, H2O Adventure & Fitness Centre, Main Library Downtown or at the Rutland Arena.
A new recreation guide is available each season:
- Spring 2020 Activity Guide will be available online on March 3, registration week is March 10-13
- Summer Camp registration opens May 1
Please note that this date may be moved due to COVID-19 pandemic response measures. Please check back for the latest updates. - Summer 2020 Activity Guide will be available online on June 2, registration week is June 9-12
- Fall 2020 Activity Guide will be available online on August 11, registration week is August 18-21
- Winter 2021 Activity Guide will be available online on December 1, registration week is Dec 8-11
Sign up for Active Living & Culture e-updates to be notified when the latest guide is available.
Registration begins one week after the latest Activity & Program Guide is released. Registration is spread out over the week to help manage call volume and web traffic.
Tuesday - General Registration
Wednesday - Sports Leagues
Thursday - Aquatics (swim lessons) and First Aid Programs
Friday - Programs for Persons with DiverseAbilities
Registration opens at 7 a.m.
Summer Camp registration opens on May 1 each year.
The City of Kelowna supports over 40,000 families each year with our recreation opportunities coupons.
Please contact us directly for more information:
Financial Assistance
Tuesday & Thursday
10:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m.
Access to Recreation Office (located in Parkinson Recreation Centre)
We understand that registering for your desired program is important. We are currently working to make improvements to ensure registration runs smoothly, especially during the week that registration opens each season. Many of our programs are in high demand which can create a high volume of web and phone traffic during registration week.
Improvements
We evaluate registration each season and use your feedback to make improvements.
Some of the current improvements in progress include:
- Improving bandwidth and payment processing for online registration
- Maximizing the number of phone lines available and staff to assist on registration days
- Changing registration start time to 7 a.m. to better accommodate work and school schedules
- Staggering registration start dates for summer camps to better accommodate parents ability to plan ahead for summer and reduce demand on the system during registration days
- Exploring a ‘lottery system’ for high demand programs. Example: A lottery for Private Swim Lessons was introduced in fall 2019. Those who wish to sign up for Private Swim Lessons can call 250-469-8800 to enter their name in the lottery.
Tips for customers
Registering online
Remain online and keep your account open. The registration portal may move slower than usual during the first few hours of registration due to high web traffic. Please be patient or try again later in the day.
For first time customers, ensure you have an online recreation account set up in advance of registration week. You can set up an account by calling 250-469-8800, visiting Parkinson Recreation Centre at 1800 Parkinson Way or emailing recreation@kelowna.ca. Please note that new account set up requests via email may take several days to complete.
Registering by phone
If you receive a busy signal, all phone lines are busy. Please hang up and try again. This is rare and only occurs at peak registration.
If you’re not attempting to register for a high demand program, try calling or registering during a non-peak time, such as later in the afternoon or evening. Phone lines are open until 8 p.m. on weekdays and you can register online for programs 24/7. If you’re not sure if the program you’re interested in is high demand, please feel free to contact us the week prior to registration.
Try LiveChat
If you need to chat with one of our staff members quickly to ask a question, consider using LiveChat. While you cannot register for programs over LiveChat, we can answer questions you may have while phone lines are busy during registration days.
The City of Kelowna, Active Living & Culture Division is pleased to be able to assist with the delivery of service to seniors in the Kelowna area through its service delivery agreements with the Parkinson Senior Society, Rutland Senior Centre Society and the Okanagan Mission Senior Centre Society.
These agreements provide the societies access to three municipal recreation facilities from which they can offer a wide variety of recreational and educational programs to enhance their quality of life. The Active Living Program Guide for Older Adults is located online in the related documents below.
