The Shuswap Recreation Society has plenty in store to help Salmon Arm residents enjoy an active summer.
Released this week, the annual Salmon Arm Recreation summer Fun Guide offers a wealth of ways to keep busy over the coming months, with activities and sports for all ages at local recreation amenities.
A free drop-in program already underway is Play at the Park. Similar to Motoring Munchkins (ages 0-5), the next one is on June 13 at Fletcher Park, followed by one on June 20 at Canoe. Both run from 10 a.m. to noon.
Free Motoring Munchkins drop-in dates are also planned for SASCU Recreation Centre auditorium, from 9 to 11 a.m. on July 15 and 17, and Aug. 15 and 17.
Registration is open for another popular program, the Kids Summer Camp (ages 6-12) that runs weekdays from July 7 to Aug. 22.
"The kids start up at the Little Mountain field house and they do sports, they do crafts, they go for hikes, we go to parks, we play lots of games, and every day they walk down to the recreation centre and they swim, and they play in the auditorium and they get picked up down there," said recreation programmer Rebecca Scott, noting kids can be signed up for the program on a per-week basis. "They’re really cost-effective and the kids are active all day."
Summer scheduling for the pool includes swimming lessons with the first session running July 7-17, the second July 21-31 and the third Aug. 11-21.
Several drop-in sports are scheduled for SASCU Recreation Centre, including basketball, floor hockey and volleyball for children and youth, and for adults, basketball, badminton, indoor pickleball, volleyball and futsal.
"It's a heavier soccer ball that you can play in the auditorium in a really small space – its all about small movements rather than big soccer movements," said Scott of futsal. "We ran it all winter for adults on Tuesdays and it was really well received.
Rogers Rink will also be open for various activities over the summer, with Hucul pond being used for laser tag, drop-in stick and puck hockey and Wheel Week drop-ins (July 22-24) where tots and youth can scoot about on their run bikes, scooters, skateboards, plasma cars, etc. (no motorized or pedal wheels). New this summer, the Spectator Rink will see summer public skating return on Aug. 5, with youth and family drop-in stick and puck dates also scheduled.
In addition to the ongoing events, there are also a couple of big summer events in the guide. The first is the annual Salmon Arm Kid's Fishing Derby held from 7 to 11 a.m. (registration at 6 a.m.) at the Salmon Arm Marine Peace Park wharf on Sunday, June 15. The other is the Shuswap Recreation Society's second annual Canada Day Celebration on July 1. The main event of the day will be a ball hockey tournament, that may run all day depending on the number of teams registered. Scott said there is a trophy on the line, with medals and other prizes to be won.
In addition to the tourney, the Rogers Rink parking lot will be bustling with things to see and do from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"We have bouncy castles, we’re going to be doing laser tag in the auditorium, we have somebody coming to do face painting, there’ll be a farmers market, and we’re going to have the fire department, the RCMP canine unit, BC Ambulance Service paramedics, Skydive Salmon Arm, and we’re going to have a show and shine," said Scott. There will also be food trucks on site (the Rogers Rink concession will also be open), live music and a birthday cake.
The guide and further information can be found at salmonarmrecreation.ca.
