General Information

The Parks and Recreation Department offers various programs throughout the year for all ages. Please be aware of the following information:

• Occasionally, school activities or inclement weather will force cancellation of some sessions.  In such cases, we will attempt to reschedule; however, there is no guarantee.  Programs will not be held on school holidays and may not necessarily meet every week due to school events or facility availability.
• Children must be the age or grade specified by the first scheduled session.  Adults are classified as individuals age 18 and older.
• Avoid waiting until the last minute to register.  Programs with low enrollment may be cancelled before the first scheduled class.
• Fees are not pro-rated.  To cancel or receive a refund, see the cancellation and refund policy below.
• Please notify the Park Office if you have any medical condition, special need, or if you require special assistance to participate in a program.

How to Register

Registration can be completed online, by mail, in person, or by phone.  Please visit our How to Register page for more information.

General Rules and Policies

Please be aware of the following general rules and regulations regarding activity registration.

Payment Options

Effective January 1, 2021, all credit card purchases will include a 3.25% transaction fee.  This fee will appears as a separate transaction on credit card statements and is collected by the third-party payment processor.  It is NOT collected by the Town of Bethlehem.  Purchases made by cash or check will not incur this fee.  You can use cash or check at the Park Office to create a “household credit” which can later be debited and used for any purchases through the Parks and Recreation Department.

*Payment is due at the time of registration.  We accept cash, personal checks, and credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover only). Please make checks payable to "Town of Bethlehem."  There will be a $20 fee for returned checks.  For phone-in and online registration, payments must be made by credit card.

Program Cancellation and Refund Policy

• To withdraw from a program, participants must notify the Park Office by calling 518-439-4955, option 7.  Program supervisors do not report cancellations to the Park Office.
• *A processing fee of 10% per person per refund request will be deducted from all refunds, or your refund may be applied to your household as a credit with no processing fee.
• *A pro-rated refund will be granted if the Park Office is notified prior to the second class following the participant’s registration date.  If we are notified after the second class, no refund can be granted.
• If you need to cancel from a program due to an injury or other medical reason and the second class has already passed, you may be eligible for a pro-rated refund given that you provide a note from your physician within 2 months of the program end date.
• If the Parks and Recreation Department must cancel a program, no cancellation fee is charged.
• Check refunds may take 4 to 6 weeks.
• If a program fills, you will be placed on a waiting list, and your payment will be processed.  You will be notified if an opening in the program occurs.  If you are not selected from the waiting list, your payment will be applied to your household as a credit, or you may request a refund.

* Please note, the payment due date, cancellation and refund policy is different for the Discovery Day Camp, Early Care and Late Care programs.  Please visit the Discovery Day Camp webpage for details.

Age Policy

Unless otherwise noted, recreation programs require participants to reach the minimum age or grade by the first scheduled class.  Please note that the town reserves the right to request age verification at the initial arrival to any program.

Residency Policy

Program registration is open to residents and non-residents.  Fees and enrollment dates may vary for non-residents. Residents are persons living in, or owning property in, the Town of Bethlehem town limits.  The town requires proof of residency when enrolling a new household.

Waiting List Policy

If a program fills up, you will be placed on a waiting list, and your payment will be processed.  You will be notified if an opening in the program occurs.  If you are not selected from the waiting list, your payment will be applied to your household as a credit, or you may request a refund.