Parks, Trails & Recreation Master Plan

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS The Shakopee Parks and Recreation has been expanding its use of technology recently. Currently, the City offers online parks and trails map downloads, online registration to recreation programs and facility reservations through the City’s website and mobile sites, and instructional videos on the park system. Nationally, technology has been changing the way in which parks are being maintained, managed, and utilized. Technology, from an administrative standpoint, is being used to maximize productivity, reduce workloads, and increase revenue. There is also a rise in the use of technology for maintenance management, providing software that enables staff to track costs, create schedules for maintenance and inspections, and produce work orders. Aside from maintenance management, technology is also changing the way in which parks are being marketed for public use. Through the use of social media, technology provides advertisement opportunities that promote events and activities to target past and future users. Technology is also being used as an engagement tool, changing how parks engage users and promote interaction within nature. According to the NRPA, trends in technology as an engagement tool include geocaching, self-guided trails with QR codes, education technology, virtual hikes, and more. The execution of this type of technology can also help the City with translation services, as apps can be developed with various language options to give residents the option to choose which language they prefer or require to receive information in. Live streaming is another way in which technology has begun to influence the way that we engage with parks, providing the opportunity to reach park-goers from their home. Groups are also using the developing technologies of Augmented Reality (AR) to provide a more comprehensive and rich environment for storytelling, history, and interpretation.

As technology continues to advance, it will also continue to further connect park-goers with nature and their local, regional, and national park systems. Therefore, it is important for technology to continue to be incorporated into the park system in order to appeal to current and future users. It is also important to continue to use technology at an administrative level in order to more efficiently monitor, manage, and maintain the parks. As the infrastructure continues to grow City staff should evaluate the addition of public Wi-Fi on a park by park basis using the following criteria: » » Safety and Security » » City Services ( irrigation and lighting systems and concession operations) » » Public Amenity

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