First year of Town’s Affordable Access to Recreation program deemed a success

Main photo: Public swimming is one of the activities available in the Affordable Access to Recreation program

A Town of Huntsville program introduced last year has helped ensure that cost isn’t a barrier to recreation activities for low-income residents.

The Access to Affordable Recreation program was introduced in May 2018 and that year eight families and 20 different people used the program, according to Simone Babineau, Manager of Recreation and Leisure Services for the Town. So far in 2019, eight families and 15 people have signed up.

“We get applications all the time,” she told the community services committee at its May 23 meeting. “It’s growing in popularity for sure.”

Eligible adults can choose either an annual public swim/skate pass or 50 drop-ins per year to adult/55+ drop-in programs and can also register for up to two Town programs at 50 per cent of the fee. For eligible people under 17, the program provides an annual public swim/skate pass and 50 per cent off registration for up to two youth programs offered by the Town. The program avoids duplicating assistance provided by other local agencies—for example, it doesn’t offer assistance for youth camps because subsidies are already offered by the District of Muskoka, and the Children’s Foundation of Muskoka offers assistance to families for other activities.

Applicants to the Affordable Access to Recreation program must be able to prove permanent residency in Huntsville for at least the 30 days prior to applying, and have an income that falls below Stats Canada low-income thresholds—ranging from less than $19,266 for a single individual and less than $23,983 for a household of two, to less than $50,984 for a household of seven or more.

In order to prevent any sort of stigma from being associated with the program, participants are not identifiable—their passes are identical to those available to everyone and, once they’ve received access, their application is destroyed.

“No one else knows who is on this program,” said Babineau. “It introduces people who might not have had access to any of our programs in the past to recreation.”

Babineau asked committee to amend the policy to allow her to, in consultation with local agencies, approve applicants applying under special circumstances. She gave the example of a mom with three young children who applied. They were living at the Chrysalis women’s shelter at the time, and because she couldn’t provide proof of residency as required in the program policy she wasn’t eligible, despite meeting other criteria. With the amendment, which was approved by committee, applicants under similar special circumstances could be considered for the program.

Moving into the second year of the program, Babineau said she would be working with local agencies to get word out and to encourage eligible people to apply.

The 2019 application form can be found here (PDF).

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