This article is sponsored by Dovercourt Recreation.
With the launch of modified fall programs, people are back at Dovercourt Recreation Centre and the staff is thrilled to provide the community with fitness, swim and recreation opportunities once again.
“While we are still far from normal in our operations, we are excited to have activities and classes starting again this fall,” Executive Director John Rapp stated.
Every day, staff greet the Breakfast Club members and afterschool kids and supervise them in safe, creative activities. With the Breakfast Club, parents know that their children will get to school safely, and kids get a healthy meal and fresh air before school. For those at Broadview Ave. Public School, the walking-school-bus has been a great way to start the day.
For those in the afterschool program, parents get a late pick up (6 p.m.), and kids get a friendly greeting after school, a healthy snack provided by the Dovercourt café and lots of fun activities in small groups with experienced leaders.
Fitness clients are enjoying the return of in-person classes with their favourite instructors and fellow participants. To maintain safe distance, every participant has a taped square to stand inside. Equipment is limited to hand weights and they are cleaned thoroughly after each class. There’s lots of variety to choose from, including group fitness, aquafitness and spin classes (for Fit Pass holders), as well as specialty programs like Aquafitness, TRX, pilates, weight classes and more. Daily online fitness classes allow clients to work out from home and stay fit with the enthusiastic Dovercourt instructors.
Swim lessons are well underway. There are clear safety procedures and well-marked zones in the pool. Dovercourt’s top-notch instructor team has taken the new protocols and teaching methods in stride. Two six-week session blocks are available; the next session begins in November and registration opens Oct. 20.
Aquatic leadership programs — like National Lifeguard and Swim Instructor — have adapted to new instruction methods, with both in-person and online delivery, to train the next generation of instructors and lifeguards.
Recreational drop-in swims are another way to enjoy the indoor pool. While some pool features are off-limits (slide, tarzan rope, sauna and hot tub), the warm water is welcoming. For safe spacing, numbers are limited and swims are pre-booked and prepaid for easy check-in.
There is a new special menu of month-long recreation programs this fall — you can sample without making a long commitment. These programs can provide a nice break for families that have decided to keep kids home from school or in learning pods. October will feature a variety of programs — running in convenient four-week long blocks — including karate, multi-sport and basketball. As well, there are visual arts programs, including online watercolour and in-person pottery classes. The Bluesfest School of Music and Art (BSOMA) will be opening again, offering limited private lessons, and group lessons including Ukulele and Rock University. And the Dovercourt Dance School has returned, with classes taught by popular instructor Barbara Diaz.
It’s truly a fall session like no other, but the Dovercourt team is grateful to welcome its community again.