At 8:30 a.m. September 4, Whitehorse began to take registrations for its fall sports and leisure programs.
For the first time, citizens could register online for their favourite cooking class, swimming lesson or preschool program.
Within five minutes the system crashed.
“It was a huge response,” said city parks and recreation manager Linda Rapp.
“Our server was just not set up for that kind of demand.”
The city continued to take registration through the normal methods of phone, fax and coming into Sports Yukon in person.
But some of those trying to register watched as available spaces vanished before their eyes.
And, as a result, some weren’t able to get into the programs they wanted.
“We’re well aware of the registration panic and we always try to accommodate people on the waiting list,” said Rapp.
“This time in particular.”
If there are enough people on the waiting list, additional programs may be set up, she said.
Other citizens who couldn’t get into the program of their choice may be given a free pass to the Canada Games Centre.
The server crash was disappointing for users and organizers alike, but Rapp sees it as a sign the service is necessary.
“It says people are ready for online opportunities,” she said.
“We’re thrilled people responded the way they did.”
The server has since been restored and improved and Rapp encourages Whitehorse residents to give it another try.
Besides registration, Active Living Online can be used to search out offered programs, renew individual memberships and find out how much space remains in programs.
A small convenience fee is applied to online transactions to cover system costs.
Online accounts also allow participants to view individual or family activity schedules and print receipts anytime.
A kiosk is set up in the Canada Games Centre to teach people more about the online tool and offer technical support.