With free time becoming scarcer, businesses are developing classes for Web users who desire to continue their learning.

And a local parks department has taken notice.

The Lansing Parks and Recreation Department has jumped on the bandwagon offering seven online courses this winter.

“More and more, a lot of community ad agencies and school districts are going into (Web courses),” said Denise Lynch, special recreation services coordinator. “We’re just following the trend.”

The classes range from “Organize or Agonize” to “How to Start a Home Based Business.”

“Normally, when you offer a class and one person signs up you have to cancel the class because you’re dealing with a classroom and an instructor,” she said.

“There’s really no minimum for a class because you’re not dealing with an actual 24-hour classroom.”

Lynch said online classes offer an alternative for those who wouldn’t be able to fit a traditional class into their schedules.

“The only way they would have to come to one of our facilities is if they want to pay in person,” she said.

Growth Strategies, a company that sells the classes to the department, has offered them since 2000.

The company had offered adult-enrichment classes previous to the online endeavor, but Gary Fugere, president of Growth Strategies, saw an opportunity after listening to complaints of courses not being offered in areas where there was an interest.

“I was just a step above a novice computer user,” Fugere said.

“I’m an entrepreneur and can smell an opportunity from 100 miles away.”

The transition has worked out well for students and for Global Strategies, which offers nine online classes.

Compared to many online or dot-com businesses, Fugere has been able to find a market niche, albeit a small one, in which his company can make money.

“I’m in one of the most unique markets of all,” he said.

“I’m there for Joe Six-pack who says, ‘I’m there because I need some information,’ and he reaches into his wallet and pays for the class.”

It is that type of reasoning that could allow for a sustainable online adult-education program, said John Dirkx, MSU associate professor of educational administration.

“I hope it grows and I hope it develops but there are a lot of pitfalls along the way,” Dirkx said.

For more information on the Lansing Parks and Recreation Department’s online courses, go online at www.parks.cityoflansingmi.com.