Children Whose Parents Opt Out of Photos Will Only Be Required to Show Pool Pass

After Reston parents raised concerns about being required to provide photos of their children for RA pool passes, the policy has been changed.

As reported last week, residents who decline to submit photos with their pool pass applications will be allowed to show another form of photo ID to gain access to a facility. Further clarifying in a post to the Reston Association website this week, CEO Cate Fulkerson said children of those parents will not be required to show anything other than their pool pass, just as in previous seasons.

“Should you still wish to opt-out of providing photos for your passes, please contact our Member Services team at 703-435-6530 or by email [email protected] with your name and address, and we will update your account accordingly. Please note, when choosing this option, the adults in your household will be required to show a photo ID matching the name and address on the pass. Youth pass holders will not be required to show an ID.”

Photos that are provided for pool passes will be stored in the WebTrac database, accessible to RA staff by swiping the card at entrances to pool facilities. Two facilities are piloting the scanning technology this year, and Fulkerson says the goal is to have the process up and running at all RA pools by the end of 2018.

Physical photos were printed on Reston Association pool passes until 1991. According to Fulkerson’s post, there has been a great deal of misuse of the passes since they were removed.

“Over the past 25 years, there have been many instances where non-members were able to use or even purchase non-member passes — at a greatly reduced rate — to gain entry into RA facilities. More specifically, violators were circumventing the need to pay their fair share by ‘borrowing’ RA member passes.”

Fulkerson and Laura Kowalski, RA’s deputy director of recreation, are expected to share more information about the updated pool admission policy at the March 23 meeting of the RA Board of Directors.