$68,600 and $66,300 Grants Support Kawartha Lakes Sport and Recreation

Thursday, November 8th, 2018

On Wednesday, the Kawartha Lakes Sport and Recreation Council (KLSRC) welcomed members of the sport and recreation community to a special ceremony at the 4^th Annual Volunteer Recognition Dinner to mark the launch of the Accessible and Adaptive Recreation Project and the Physical Literacy Network for Early Learning Providers. Local MPP Laurie Scott was on hand to congratulate community partners and hear more about how the two Seed grants, with a combined total of $134,900, awarded to EarlyON and the Kawartha Cycling Club, will enhance recreation opportunities for older adults and support early learning providers through a physical literacy training program.

“I would like to extend my congratulations to the Kawartha Cycling Club for receiving an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant,” said MPP Scott. “I am pleased that this grant will help the Kawartha Cycling Club expand local access to recreation and promote healthy lifestyles in our community.

The Accessible and Adaptive Recreation Project will be led by the Kawartha Cycling Club with project coordination provided by the KLSRC. New accessible recreation opportunities for older adults will be coordinated through a multi-activity pilot program and enhanced by new adaptive equipment, instructor training and an online Accessible Recreation Directory. Through community consultation, the KLSRC heard that there was a need to promote new recreation opportunities that meet the emerging needs of a changing population. Thanks to the $68,600 from the Foundation, older adults will have more accessible opportunities to get active in the City of Kawartha Lakes.

“Congratulations to the Ontario Early Years Centre Haliburton Victoria Brock for receiving an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant,” said MPP Scott. “I am excited about this grant helping the local Ontario Early Years Centre promote healthier, more active lifestyles for children.”

The Physical Literacy Network for Early Learning Providers will be led by EarlyON with project coordination provided by KLSRC. In addition to physical literacy training, early learning providers will be supported in their efforts to deliver quality physical activity through peer-to-peer mentorship, network building and ongoing support from a hired consultant. Recent local data indicates a trend toward decreasing movement competence in young children. The $66,300 grant from OTF will help local early learning providers to equip their students with movement skills that are the foundation for lifelong active participation.

“The impact of these Ontario Trillium Foundation grants cannot be underestimated,” said Gary Pearson, Coordinator of the KLSRC. “These projects add significantly to achieving the goals of the Kawartha Lakes Sport and Recreation Strategy. Through shared leadership, our community partners are best equipped to build capacity in the sport and recreation sector. The key result is that more City of Kawartha Lakes residents have opportunities to develop fundamental movement skills and be active across the lifespan.”

The KLSRC is committed to the enhancement and promotion of sport, recreation and healthy active living opportunities for all residents of the City of Kawartha Lakes. If you wish to learn more about accessible recreation or physical literacy, please visit the website at: www.klsrc.mydev.ca.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. OTF awarded more than $120 million to some 700 projects last year to build healthy and vibrant communities in Ontario.