Sports Centre approved for Reach Each and Everyone Grant

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre (SMPC) was successful in acquiring a Reach Each and Everyone Grant through Canadian Parks and Recreation, which enabled them to host a free try-it event, for folks of all needs and abilities.

Hosted on June 24, the SMPC put on a variety of inclusive sports and events which were designed to be easily available to anyone who wished to come out, regardless of their physical abilities.

Some of these activities included cornhole, spike ball, badminton, and seated volleyball. For some of these sports, the try-it event was their debut appearance at the sports centre, with equipment purchased as a result of the successful grant application. 

“What we are focusing on is trying to make sure that we are being more inclusive and offering a variety of options for everybody to attend, regardless of ability or sensory needs, as well as making sure that some of the events are free, so it reduces barriers for everybody in the community,” said Lisa Montgomery, Sports Centre manager. “It was the first one we have hosted like this, so it was quite quiet, and being the end of the school season, it takes a little bit for things to pick up, but we will be offering some more throughout the summer, and so we hope to see more people attend.”

The goal for use of the Reach Each and Everyone Grant is to continue offering try-it events, as well as other opportunities for inclusive and barrier-free sports.

Through the try-it events, Montgomery said the hope is the surrounding community will identify other sports they would like to see offered at a try-it event, and then on a regular basis at the Sports Center. 

“What we proposed is through Canadian Parks and Recreation. It is a grant that is a community sport goal so that we can offer accessible sports and increase participation through offering a variety of inclusive and accessible, barrier-free sports to the community,” said Montgomery. “We saw that grant applications were open, we wrote a proposal and then we were successful in obtaining it. So, it allowed us to purchase some more equipment for offering these opportunities.”

Montgomery added the goal is to host similar events once per month at least for the next few months with the goal being for the community to let the Sports Centre team know which of the try-it sports they want to see, so that opportunities to play can be scheduled once a week.

Though an exact date was unable to be given, it is likely that the Sports Centre’s next try-it event will take place close to the end of July, with a subsequent event sometime in August. 

More information, when it becomes available, will be posted to the SMPC website.