Politics & Government

Potomac Community Center Trying Out New Entry Method

The Potomac Community Center is one of three centers testing out the new finger vein scanners.

The is part of a pilot program where patrons can scan their finger to enter the center — a technology that could save the Department of Recreation about $50,000 if implemented countywide.

The community center is part of the pilot “finger vein scanner” program where community members can enter the center by having their right pointer-finger scanned instead of presenting their membership card. Two other recreation centers in Montgomery County — the Holiday Park Senior Center and the Olney Swim Center — are participating in the pilot program.

“We’re testing at these busy, active centers that all serve different groups of people,” said Judy Stiles, the Public Information Officer for Montgomery County Department of Recreation. “So we’re hoping to get some good feedback.”

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The centers have been using the finger vein scanners since early January and, so far, the centers’ patron like using it, Stiles said.

“The general feedback is that people like not having to have cards,” Stiles said. “If they lose their card, it’s not a big deal because they can just scan. It gets them into their activities quicker.”

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The Department of Recreation issued a survey to the patrons using the finger vein scanners and the results of the survey and public input could determine if they will be used in all of the county’s recreation centers. If the finger vein scanners are well received, implementation could begin as soon as the spring, Stiles said. 

If the finger vein scanners are used in all county recreation centers, it would save the Department of Recreation about $50,000 a year, Stiles said. With the current system of printing access cards, the printer and scanner for the process costs $5,000. The finger vein scanners are $300 each, Stiles added.

Also, the machines used to print and scan access cards require maintenance and need to be replaced every couple years — an added cost for the Department of Recreation. Every penny of savings could help after County Executive Isiah Leggett to help fill an estimated $350 million budget gap in the county.

Although the finger vein scanners can help patrons, they are not required to use them, Stiles said.

"If peopled don’t want to use the scanner, they don’t have to," she said. "They can continue to use card if that is what they prefer."


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