“Participation in both structured and unstructured recreational, sport and cultural activities improves physical, psychological and emotional health,” says Parks and Recreation Ontario. To that end, the Town of Huntsville is implementing a policy that will help its lowest income residents access some of the programs and facilities offered by the municipality.
“This report and policy is a long time coming,” Huntsville’s Director of Community Services, Kari Lambe told General Committee at its February 28 meeting. “We are getting requests from a variety of agencies, families and individuals who cannot afford to participate in something as simple as coming in at lunch and swimming a lap or bringing their children in to go for a skate or having their children even learn to swim. These are services that are important to our community from a social standpoint, from a health and wellness standpoint, even life skills. When I look at swimming lessons, with the lakes around us, it’s an essential thing for children to learn.”
Town staff worked to create a policy that would fill that need while having little to no impact on taxpayers.
Residents who meet eligibility criteria for the Access to Affordable Recreation Program will have the following options available to them.
Children and youth (up to 17 years of age) can receive an annual public swim/skate pass and 50 per cent off the cost of up to two registered youth programs. The Town’s summer camps are already subsidized and not included in this program.
Adults 18 years of age and older have one of three options: an annual public swim/skate pass or 50 drop-ins per year to adult/55+ drop-in programs at the pool or Active Living Centre or 50 per cent off the cost of up to two registered programs. Adult and 55+ drop-in program passes are valid for a variety of activities including public skating, adult skating, public swimming, adult swim, lap swims, table tennis, dominoes, cards and games, line dancing, and pickleball.
Lambe said that the Town already partners with the District and other agencies to help people who can’t afford sporting equipment or other activities for their children.
The Affordable Access to Recreation Program will be administered “discretely in a way that when these residents come to participate in our programs, nobody knows that they are on our affordable policy,” said Lambe.
Read the proposed Affordable Access to Recreation Policy here (PDF).
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Heather Hunter says
This is a compassionate, responsive and long overdue policy change . I am pleased to see that the Town has tuned in to the needs of the less fortunate in our community .
Thank you