New Web site highlights parks, group activities in Bozeman- Does your community have a similar site?

Want to know if there are any basketball courts in Bogert Park? Or just what groups around town bring together music lovers?

A new Web site by the Bozeman Recreation and Parks Advisory Board aims to be a one-stop source for recreational activities taking place in city parks.

By WALT WILLIAMS, Chronicle Staff Writer

http://bozemandailychronicle.com/articles/2004/04/27/news/parksbzbigs.txt

The site, http://infobozeman.com, has been up and running for about a month, Sandy Dodge of the recreation board said.

The site is updated regularly with information about upcoming events sponsored mostly by nonprofit groups, which differentiates it from the various arts and entertainment publications already out there.

"This is predominately aimed at noncommercial ventures," Dodge said.

Through the Web site, Internet users can get contact information for music, arts and sports groups. They also can pull up a list of city parks and find out what type of activities are offered at each park.

The idea originally was to put the information up on the city’s own Web site at http://www.bozeman.net. But Dodge said the city officials had reservations about giving out passwords to its site to anyone other than employees. The recreation board is made up of volunteers.

The board was able to find a company that donated a year’s worth of server space for the site. Dodge updates it himself.

Dodge said board members still hope the information will be included as part of the city’s Web site sometime in the future.