Bismarck Parks And Recreation District

What Bismarck Parks And Recreation District does

Bismarck Parks and Recreation District (BPRD) is a municipal park district established in 1927 under North Dakota state law, providing parks, recreation programs, facilities, and events to residents of Bismarck and Burleigh County, North Dakota. The district operates an extensive physical asset base including 85+ miles of trails, four golf courses (Pebble Creek, Riverwood, Tom O'Leary, Sheila Schafer Junior Links) plus the Fore Seasons Center with Toptracer driving range, multiple aquatic facilities (BSC Aquatic & Wellness Center, Elks Aquatic Center, Hillside Aquatic Complex, Paul H. Wachter Aquatic Complex), two ice arenas (Capital Ice Complex, VFW Sports Center), athletic complexes (Clem Kelley, Sam McQuade Sr., Scheels Sports), campgrounds, and over 40 parks including the 271-acre McDowell Dam Recreation Area managed for Burleigh County Water Resource District.

BPRD delivers year-round programming across aquatics, fitness, racquet sports, individual sports, team sports (youth and adult), early childhood programs, adaptive recreation, after-school and summer care (BLAST), and seasonal activities. Technology infrastructure centers on the ActiveNet (Active Communities) online registration and reservation platform, with calendar integrations to Google, iCalendar, and Outlook, and the BCycle bike share app for the BisParks BCycle program operating May through October. The district holds CAPRA accreditation and the National Gold Medal Award for excellence in park and recreation management.

The business model blends tax-based public funding (property tax assessments, special assessments, general fund allocations) with transaction-based user fees from program enrollment, facility and equipment rentals, golf green fees (e.g., $30 adult round), and event venue rentals. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-consumer through owned facilities and the online registration system, with no third-party resellers. Customer segments span youth/families, adults/seniors, individuals with disabilities, event organizers, and outdoor enthusiasts, all served within the Bismarck-Burleigh County service area.

Name

Bismarck Parks And Recreation District

Legal name

Bismarck Parks and Recreation District

Website

https://bisparks.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Bismarck Parks and Recreation District is a 1927-established municipal park district operating parks, trails, golf courses, aquatic facilities, ice arenas, and recreation programs for Bismarck and Burleigh County, North Dakota residents, funded by tax assessments and user fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Parks and Recreation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Campgrounds (721211), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Parks, Recreation & Protected Areas Administration (BPAIAMAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Campgrounds & RV Parks (Developed Sites) (THAGAOAA)

Keywords

• Municipal parks services
• Recreation programs
• Golf courses
• Aquatic facilities
• Community trails

Headquarters

HQ city

Bismarck

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program and Activity Fees: Fees collected from recreation programs including youth and adult sports leagues, swim lessons, fitness classes, personal training, after-school care, and BLAST day camp.
2. Facility and Equipment Rentals: Revenue from renting shelters, meeting rooms, campgrounds, birthday party venues, courts, fields, pools, rinks, garden plots, and bike share (BCycle) services.
3. Golf Operations: Green fees, golf cart rentals, club rentals, Toptracer Range bays, and golf lessons at Pebble Creek Golf Course, Riverwood Golf Course, Tom O'Leary Golf Course, and Sheila Schafer Junior Links.
4. Public Funding and Tax Support: Governmental funding through Bismarck Parks and Recreation District as a municipal entity, supported by special assessments and public funding mechanisms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Bismarck Parks and Recreation District (BPRD) operates public parks, trails, recreation facilities, and community programs in Bismarck and Burleigh County, North Dakota. The district provides golf courses, aquatic and ice facilities, youth and adult sports leagues, fitness and aquatics programming, adaptive recreation, facility and equipment rentals, bike share, and community arts events. Services are delivered through owned parks and facilities with online registration via the ActiveNet platform and supported by public funding mechanisms.

Product overview

Bismarck Parks and Recreation District (BPRD) operates a comprehensive parks and recreation system offering recreation programs, facilities, and open spaces for the Bismarck community. The core offerings include: (1) Recreation Programs & Activities - year-round programming spanning aquatics, fitness, sports leagues, early childhood, adaptive recreation, and seasonal activities; (2) Golf Operations - four golf courses plus the Fore Seasons Center with Toptracer driving range and indoor simulators; (3) Parks & Facilities - over 40 parks and 20+ specialized facilities including aquatic centers, ice arenas, sports complexes, campgrounds, and specialty facilities; (4) Trails & Walking - 85+ miles of trails including National Recreation Trail designations; (5) Rentals & Reservations - spaces and equipment including shelters, campsites, event venues, and BisParks BCycle bike share. Programs target all ages and abilities with adaptive recreation services available. The district also offers equipment and space rentals, birthday party packages, and special event venues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Recreation Programs & Activities Comprehensive recreation programming for residents of Bismarck and Burleigh County including swim lessons, lap swim, water fitness, fitness classes, personal training, individual sports (archery, fencing, karate, track), racquet sports (pickleball, racquetball, tennis), youth and adult team sports (baseball, basketball, flag football, soccer, softball, volleyball), early childhood programs, adaptive recreation, after-school and BLAST summer care, and winter activities.
• Golf Courses Four golf facilities: Pebble Creek Golf Course (18-hole), Riverwood Golf Course, Tom O'Leary Golf Course, and Sheila Schafer Junior Links, along with the Fore Seasons Center practice facility featuring Toptracer driving range, indoor golf simulators, indoor putting green, and adult and youth lessons and indoor leagues.
• Parks & Facilities Over 40 parks and 20+ specialized facilities including aquatic centers (BSC Aquatic & Wellness Center, Elks Aquatic Center, Hillside Aquatic Complex, Paul H. Wachter Aquatic Complex), ice arenas (Capital Ice Complex, VFW Sports Center), sports complexes (Clem Kelley Athletic Complex, Sam McQuade Sr. Softball Complex, Scheels Sports Complex), campgrounds (General Sibley Park, Eagles Park), and specialty facilities such as arboretum, archery ranges, community orchard, disc golf, dog park, and skate parks.
• Trails & Walking More than 85 miles of trails throughout Bismarck and Burleigh County, including paved shared-use trails, unpaved biking and hiking trails, and interpretive trails. Notable routes include Hay Creek Trail (National Recreation Trail designation) and Missouri Valley Millennium Legacy Trail (one of 52 national Millennium Legacy Trails), along with multiple singletrack mountain biking trails and indoor walking at Capital Racquet & Fitness Center and Fore Seasons Center.
• Rentals & Reservations Space and equipment rentals including reservable shelters and community buildings (50+ locations), campground sites, birthday party packages at pools, golf, batting cages, and roller skating facilities, court, field, pool and rink reservations, meeting rooms, special event venues such as the Joann Hetzel Memorial 4-H Building, garden plots, and picnic equipment.
• BisParks BCycle Bike Share Seasonal bicycle rental service available May to October (weather permitting) through the BCycle mobile app, providing residents and visitors with bike access across the city. Sponsorship opportunities available for businesses.
• Adaptive Recreation Specialized recreation programs and services for individuals with disabilities, providing inclusive access to parks, recreation activities, and adaptive programming tailored to participant needs.
• McDowell Dam Recreation Area 271-acre park featuring beach, boat ramp (electric motors only), accessible kayak launch, fishing piers, playgrounds, gaga ball pit, volleyball poles, four reservable shelters, and three miles of trails (0.6-mile paved and 2.4-mile unpaved). Equipment rentals include paddleboats, paddleboards, canoes, and kayaks at $6–$14 per session.
• Arts in the Park Events Free outdoor performances and arts programming including Kids Summer Stage (weekly performances June–August at Custer Park featuring local artists, musicians, and dancers) and Summer Songs Concert Series (evening concerts at General Sibley Park amphitheater), delivered in partnership with the Dakota West Arts Council.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Dakota West Arts CouncilcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Dakota West Arts Council for Arts in the Park programming including Kids Summer Stage at Custer Park and Summer Songs Concert Series. The council provides performers, artists, and art activities for free community arts programming.
• BCBS North Dakota Caring FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor of the First-Hour-FREE Ride Weekend event promoting the BisParks BCycle bike share program during July Celebration. Foundation supports health and wellness initiatives in North Dakota communities.
• Kittyko Music and EducationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner for Kids Summer Stage program providing interactive music and education experiences for children during summer programming at Custer Park.
• Burleigh County Water Resource DistrictcoreOthersBPRD manages McDowell Dam Recreation Area, a 271-acre park owned by the Burleigh County Water Resource District, demonstrating inter-governmental partnership for recreation facility management.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Boise Parks and Recreation: Boise Parks and Recreation Department operates parks, recreation facilities, and programs for Boise, Idaho. Similar comprehensive municipal parks operator offering trails, aquatics, golf, and leagues in a state-capital metro area.
• Lincoln Parks and Recreation (NE): Lincoln Parks and Recreation operates municipal parks, trails, golf, pools, and recreation programs in Lincoln, Nebraska. Comparable mid-sized Midwest municipal parks operator with similar service breadth (aquatics, golf, trails, leagues, adaptive recreation).
• Fargo Parks District: Fargo Parks District is a municipal park district operating parks, golf courses, recreation programs, and facilities for Fargo, North Dakota. It is the closest geographic and structural peer to BPRD as both are independent park districts in North Dakota cities, providing identical mixes of parks, recreation programs, golf, and trails under similar state-authority frameworks.
• Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation: Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department operates parks, trails, aquatic facilities, and recreation programming for Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Similar Midwestern municipal model with comparable facility mix and program breadth to BPRD.
• Madison Parks Division: Madison Parks operates a large municipal parks and recreation system for Madison, Wisconsin, including beaches, golf courses, and extensive trail networks. Comparable in function and breadth of services to BPRD, though at a larger scale.
• Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation: Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation operates municipal parks, aquatic centers, golf, ice facilities, and recreation programs for Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Similar service mix, governance structure, and Upper Midwest climate context make it a strong comparable peer to BPRD.
• Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services: Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services operates municipal parks, trails, recreation centers, golf, and cultural programming. Similar role-mix and facility breadth, though serving a larger metro population than BPRD.

Broad incumbents

• Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board: Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board is a large, well-resourced independent park board operating an extensive parks and recreation system. Functions as a scaled-up peer to BPRD in terms of organizational mandate (parks district authority), though at a substantially larger asset and budget scale.

Others

• National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA): NRPA is the national trade association for park and recreation professionals. NRPA administers the CAPRA accreditation BPRD holds and the National Gold Medal Award BPRD has received, making it the governing standards body relevant to BPRD's operations.
• BCycle (B-cycle LLC): BCycle is the technology platform partner that powers BPRD's BisParks BCycle bike share program. It is an enabling technology vendor rather than a competitor, providing the software/hardware stack that residents use to access bikeshare from May to October.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BisParks
• Facebookfacebook.com/bismarckparks
• Instagraminstagram.com/bismarckparks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bismarck-parks-and-recreation-district

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Bismarck Parks And Recreation District