Inclusive Recreation

• Adapted Programs

  Adapted programming includes modified environments with smaller group sizes and increased group supervision, activities adapted to individual needs and goals, plus longer transition times. 

  Browse adapted programs

• Sensory-Aware Drop-ins

  The East Bayfield Community Centre Drop-in Schedule and Peggy Hill Team Community Centre Drop-in Schedule include adapted/sensory drop-in programs for preschoolers and youth.

• Aquatics Options

  • One-to-one support in aquatics for those wanting a group setting but needing additional support or for those who cannot afford a private lesson
  • Adapted & low-ratio aquatics 
• Camps

  Inclusive camp experiences are provided for kinder-age, school-age and youth campers (i.e. campers 4–21 years old). Adult camp programming is offered in the summer. Various integrated and adapted options exist for each age group.

  Browse camps

• Inclusion One-to-One Support

  Inclusion one-to-one support staff are available to facilitate successful participation in all City recreation programs. Inclusion one-to-one support staff may provide redirection for safety reasons, allow opportunities for breaks, assist with personal care (e.g., feeding, toileting, changing, etc.) and more. 

  There is an additional cost and separate registration required for inclusion one-to-one support staff. Participants must register in one-to-one support in advance to ensure that support staff provided by the City are available.

  To register for one-to-one support, please follow these steps:

  1. Register into your desired program on play.barrie.ca.  
  2. Register into the “Inclusion One-to-One Support" program for the same dates/times as the program selected.  
  3. Notify inclusion.services@barrie.ca of your registration at least two weeks before the start of the program. It is important to contact Inclusion Services as soon as possible as it is not guaranteed that Inclusion One-to-One Support Staff will be available for the date(s) and time(s) requested.
  4. Complete a Participant Information Package for the participant that is registering for the program. Updated Participant Information Packages should be submitted every two years or sooner when information changes.

  As per the City's Health and Safety Policy, the City may require that a participant bring an external support worker that can provide a higher level of support. The support worker can be a paid support worker (at the family's expense), a family member or another non-paid individual. Not providing a support worker may result in the participant being not allowed into to their desired program until they are able to attend with a support worker.

• External Support Workers

  The City of Barrie welcomes support persons in our programs at no additional cost. Support persons can include parents, caregivers, family members, friends, or hired support workers. Their role is to assist participants in fully engaging in our programs. 

  Requirements for support persons:

  • Must be at least 16 years of age
  • Hold an active account through play.barrie.ca
     

  To attend a registered program with a support person, please follow these steps:

  • Register the participant into a program on play.barrie.ca that meets their needs, hobbies, and interests.
  • Register the support person into the Partners in Recreation program for the applicable session (e.g. if the participant is taking swimming lessons during the Winter 2026 session, the support person must enroll in the Winter 2026 Partners in Recreation program).
  • Provide the support person’s name to Inclusion Services at Inclusion.Services@barrie.ca before the start of the program. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I know if my participant needs support to participate?

  A participant usually benefits from one-to-one support in a recreation program if they:

  • Need or currently have additional support in a school setting
  • Have a safety plan in place at their school setting
  • Engage in behaviours often that could affect their safety or the safety of others
  • Need extra support at home for personal care such as feeding or toileting
  • Are currently using services from a disability or mental health agency

  To discuss the individual needs of your participant, contact Inclusion Services at 705-739-4220, extension 4773 or inclusion.services@barrie.ca .

• My participant does not meet the age criteria for a program. Can they have permission to register anyway?

  Following HIGH FIVE® guidelines, all programs are designed to be developmentally appropriate for a specific age range.               

  Age overrides are considered on a case-by-case basis and can be directed to Recreation Information at recreation.information@barrie.ca. If the age override is needed for an adapted program or for inclusion one-to-one support, please contact inclusion.services@barrie.ca.

  If an age override is given, the instructor will decide whether the course is a good fit for the participants. Instructors may discuss other program options with the caregiver if needed.

• Can we remain in the room with our participant?

  No. All City of Barrie programs are independent activities unless otherwise indicated. Caregivers, siblings and friends are required to be outside of the program space. Some program spaces have a window or door where you view program activities. We ask that this be done not very often so that participants are not distracted.