Community rec centers are leveraging AI to improve operations, protect members and optimize experiences.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is helping revolutionize different industries and their processes — including community recreation centers. Across the country, rec centers are utilizing AI to improve center efficiency, enhance safety procedures and overall create a better experience for their members. This once-futuristic concept is now reshaping community rec center operations, without requiring major overhauls.
James Highsmith, the president and CEO of the Ann Arbor YMCA, has been taking advantage of AI through a partnership with the aquatics safety company Lynxight. The company has integrated its software into the Y’s CCTV cameras in pool areas, using AI to detect and analyze the swimmers. Through this data, the software uses machine learning from over 600 pools across the globe to determine if swimmers are in distress, in high-risk swim areas or have entered the pool on accident. When the software detects an incident, lifeguards are alerted immediately through a smartwatch which provides the exact location of the incident.
Based on where most incidents occur and other data like where the pool is commonly overcrowded, when swimmers tend to be in the pool, etc., AI can alert lifeguards to potential hazards allowing for additional safety measures to be put in place. This real-time drowning prevention is something Highsmith says ties into the Y’s commitment to making water activities as safe as possible.
“Lynxight has certainly enhanced the safety of our natatorium,” said Highsmith. “Beyond the real-time drowning prevention tools, the technology provides a comprehensive administrative dashboard related to aquatics safety. We’re able to make data-informed decisions on scanning zones, program scheduling and guarding rotations based on data the system provides.”
While the commitment to the center was undeniable, the community publicity, interest and support came quickly as well. By making it clear to all involved — staff, volunteers and community members alike — that the tool is not meant to be a replacement for lifeguards but rather a technologically provocative effort, Highsmith said local support has been tremendous.
“By investing in the software, it was a clear message to our community that our Y takes aquatics safety seriously and we made an intentional investment into keeping families as safe as possible when participating in water-based activities and exercise,” said Highsmith.
While the support is there, rolling out plans and software like this need to be measured and held up by a strategic plan. All in all, Highsmith said operations need to be sustainable with the new system, noting that he took a year to implement the system after acquiring it. During that time, he took time to train staff and roll out communications to ensure trust and knowledge in the software.
Pamela Flatter, the senior operations and membership support director at the YMCA of Greater Dayton, also incorporated AI in her Y by starting small and training staff to use AI tools that align with the organization. Flatter began automating basic tasks before expanding their focus. She said doing this improved efficiency while maintaining a human touch.
Fully embracing AI has helped Flatter improve her daily operations by partnering with Capacity, an AI-driven platform that helps automate tasks and self-service capabilities for patrons. Capacity has provided Flatter’s employees and members with fast and accurate solutions through chatbots and public sites. Members can find answers day or night and can sign up for membership, register for programs and inquire about childcare seamlessly.
“Our employees benefit from Capacity as well,” said Flatter. “Our call center centralizes calls, freeing up front desk staff to assist members in person. However, this also keeps our call center busy. Capacity serves as the centralized source for information, both external and internal, allowing our call center employees to assist members more quickly and with fewer transfers or hold times.”
Flatter also said that her Y uses ChatGPT to frequently assist in consistent and efficient communication across the organization. Fundraise, an AI-powered fundraising platform, is also used to help enhance donor engagement and to optimize donation processes. By leveraging AI, Flatter said rec centers can save time, reduce errors, and focus more on delivering high-quality programming and services to their communities and patrons.
Amanda Loveland, the chief marketing officer at the Peninsula JCC (PJCC), and her team also use AI that helps with member management, communication and marketing automation. Loveland takes advantage of industry-standard tools like Salesforce for CRM and Adobe tools but has begun to introduce special applications such as Team AI. This service is a game changer for her team, as she’s customizing the service to fit the team’s specific needs directly.
In 2023, Loveland and the team at the PJCC recognized how AI was going to impact their recreation center and decided to jump ahead of the curve by implementing an AI usage policy. The JCC was the first to do so.
“This policy guides our use of technology to ensure it enhances rather than replaces human interaction, maintaining our commitment to a people-first philosophy,” said Loveland. “By integrating technology thoughtfully, we aim to create an environment where staff and members alike benefit from the efficiencies and capabilities that modern solutions provide.”
Through the use of AI, PJCC has prioritized data collection and statistics to directly enhance member satisfaction and operational effectiveness. With data such as attendance and participation rates, resource utilization and operational efficiency, and member feedback, AI is able to automatically adjust and highlight different patterns in the center.
Over the next decade, Loveland sees AI continuing to revolutionize the community recreation center landscape through analytics and automation of routine tasks. Regardless of the benefits of AI adoption, Loveland said it could come with challenges if not implemented correctly. She recommends ensuring robust cybersecurity measures are in place, and that ethical use and member transparency are at the top of recreation centers’ minds when implementing this technology.
“This longstanding integration of AI capabilities enables us to be proactive rather than reactive in our approach to community management,” said Loveland. “As we continue to advance our technology stack, our focus remains on how these tools can enrich the community experience, ensuring our use of AI reinforces, rather than replaces, the human connections that form the core of our mission.”
AI can significantly enhance community recreation, making it adaptable and responsive for community members. Recognizing where AI fits in your recreation center is no longer a glimpse into the future, but a current reality reshaping operations and benefiting everyone. Embracing this movement and technology with intentionality will deliver safer, smarter and more engaging member experience for years to come.
