Caledon offering both in-person and virtual programming throughout the summer

By Rob Paul

Now that Ontario is in Step Three of the Reopening Roadmap, the Town of Caledon is able to offer in-person recreation programs once again.

On July 23, indoor programs and activities at recreation centres began to open with fitness centres at Southfields Community Centre and Caledon Centre for Recreation and Wellness. Pools at the facilities opened July 26, along with one ice pad at Mayfield Recreation Complex—another ice pad will open August 21 at Caledon East Recreation Complex. 

The Town is offering several different categories of in-person programming, aquatics, camps, fitness, general interest programs, and training and safety.

Within the aquatics programming, there are group swimming lessons available for various ages and levels of swimmers, as well as leadership courses, low-ratio lessons, and private lessons. There are also single visit swims available throughout the summer at both Caledon Centre for Recreation and Wellness and Southfields Community Centre. 

The Town will be running three different types of camps this year, Camp Caledon, Leader in Training Camp, and Virtual Camp.

Camp Caledon is designed to offer a safe camper experience while enjoying the fun of camp through a variety of different activities, outdoor play, active games, and creative crafts. It will be running throughout the summer with COVID protocols in place.

Leader in Training Camp will be running from August 16 to 20 and will be a virtual course that consists of an introduction to leadership and provides an opportunity to develop the needed skills to be an effective leader.

Virtual Camp is set to run throughout the summer and is partnering with Kids Great Minds (KGM). These camps are meant to entertain and stimulate the minds of children each week using technology. 

With fitness facilities now open, there are four different classes being offered for adults: metabolic, Pilates, yoga in the park, and Zumba. There are also general fitness classes being run throughout each day at Caledon Centre for Recreation and Wellness and Southfields Community Centre each week.

The general interest programs focus on four different categories: active play, arts and crafts, cooking and baking, and sport.

Active play programming offers a hike and explore program August 22 and recreation at the park throughout the summer. 

There are three different arts and crafts programs that run all summer—art adventures, intro to art, and paint night.

Cooking and baking has two different programs: baker's dozen (running August 7 and 21) and junior chef (running August 10 and 24). In total the four courses being run offer four different recipes to learn. 

The sport program being run is karate at Southfields Community Centre that will take place every Tuesday and Thursday from August 3 to September 2. There are also drop-in badminton and pickle ball days all summer at Southfields Community Centre. 

Finally, the Town is also offering a personal safety for kids' course on August 14 to teach skills that empower them to make safe, caring, and respectful decision in their everyday lives both online and offline. 

All programs require pre-registration, and all registration must be completed online or by calling 905-584-2272 ext. 7327.

Virtual programming will continue to be offered by the Town through Microsoft Teams—login details will be sent the day before online classes.

To participate in Town in-person recreation programs, participants must complete the online Town of Caledon screening form prior to participating. Proof of completion must be shown to staff—the screening can be found at Caledon.ca.