Prince William County Parks and Recreation Launches New RecMapper App

Prince William County Parks and Recreation has launched a new mobile application, RecMapper, designed to help residents and visitors easily access information about the county’s parks, facilities, and historic properties. The app is now available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

The RecMapper app offers a range of features to enhance users’ experiences. Through the app, users can view photos and details of various parks, playgrounds, pavilions, fitness centers, pools, and other amenities.

The app allows users to search for facilities by map or list, filter results based on specific needs, and get directions to their chosen locations. Sports teams and leagues can also find specific field locations within parks, while other users can stay updated on upcoming activities and events. Additionally, the app includes a feed of the department’s social media posts, accessible without needing a social media account.

Amir Wenrich, Prince William County Parks and Recreation spokesman, highlighted the app’s goal of making park information more accessible to the community. “We encourage everyone to download the app on your mobile device and start exploring our parks virtually and planning your next visit,” Wenrich said.

The app’s development was driven by the need for an improved user experience compared to the previous web-based version of RecMapper. According to Wenrich, the earlier version lacked the capability to offer detailed information on park amenities, prompting the department to create a more advanced tool. The development process for the new app took a little over six months.

In terms of community engagement, Wenrich expressed optimism that the app will encourage more residents to explore the county’s parks and take advantage of recreational activities they may not have known about. The department plans to track user engagement and trends over the next six months to inform future strategies.

Looking ahead, the app will continue to evolve with planned updates, including the addition of detailed trail information, gamification features like contests and scavenger hunts, and push notifications to keep users informed about new developments.

Since the app’s launch, initial feedback from users has been positive. Many have expressed excitement about discovering new parks and amenities they were previously unaware of. However, as of now, there are no partnerships with local businesses or organizations to promote or enhance the app’s features.