​The Town of Newmarket is the first Municipality in North America to launch a partnership with Toronto-based sports technology company, CatchCorner by Sports Illustrated, to implement its comprehensive software helping to modernize and simplify the Town's facility booking process. Today, Newmarket has launched on the booking platform, offering its ice rinks to start, and gradually expanding to other services such as halls, meeting spaces and even outdoor recreation locations. CatchCorner is an easy to use, all-in-one tool which will enable customers to find available Town space in real time in order to book, pay and enjoy, all with a few simple clicks. 

"Access and availability of recreational spaces is part of what makes Newmarket a great place to be," says Mayor John Taylor. "Being the first municipality in North America to launch this technology is a testament to our commitment to always striving to provide highly effective and efficient services for our residents." 

The free app, which launched in April 2019, is growing in popularity among sports enthusiasts. The partnership gives the Town a presence in a growing marketplace where people are looking for rentals. 

"This is an exciting day for Newmarket sport user groups and residents that book recreation and culture facilities," says Ian McDougall, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO).  "This platform and our new approach to rentals aligns innovation with timely and focused customer service. It makes renting recreational spaces easier and will also ensure facilities are being used to their full potential."

How it works:

The cutting edge software platform will make it easier for residents who are already accustomed to booking Town spaces and offers an approachable, user friendly interface for first time bookers too.

Users can download the CatchCorner app and search Town of Newmarket, or simply visit the Town's website at Newmarket.ca/rentals and watch a short video on how to use the app, then click "Book with CatchCorner" to start the process. The platform takes the customer through the entire transaction from searching for space, selecting a slot from available options which are updated in real time, to payment.  Patrons can use numerous enhanced features that come with the new online booking portal; including payment splitting, advanced availability alert notifications, smart contract signing capability, Apple Pay and Google Pay, to name only a few.

The new platform gives residents more opportunities to take advantage of the space in their own community. For example, players can now easily organize last-minute pickup games, parents can plan out-of-the-box skating birthdays or teams can book a pad for extra practice. Residents who are looking for new and active ways to gather this holiday season can use CatchCorner to book an ice pad in town, starting at $152 per hour, plus the cost of insurance.

The Town of Newmarket's ice surface availability can also be found directly on CatchCorner's mobile app, which displays available space across the selected region. The synergy between both the mobile and website based applications allows users to choose the way they prefer to book, giving them access to a convenient and seamless booking experience on all devices and expands Newmarket's potential customer base. 

For more information on CatchCorner visit newmarket.ca/rentals or download the CatchCorner app available on Google Play or the App Store.