Hiawatha Highlands, located at the Kinsmen Park, is eye candy for a naturalist. Since I moved to Sault Ste Marie four months ago the flora and fauna of the area have continually amazed me. In Southwestern Ontario, where I moved from, wild spaces are so rare you are guaranteed to have to pay an admission fee just to see some trees. As activities coordinator for the Hiawatha Highlands I am lucky to spend my days here, enjoying the arrival of spring.
It is also exciting for me to be here when Hiawatha Highlands is in the process of expanding their services for the community. For the last 51 years the public has been able to ski, snowshoe and enjoy the wonders of a winter forest. This year Hiawatha is expanding beyond the winter season right into spring and summer. We are excited to be offering our Eco education program for May and June and our Summer Eco Day Camp for July and August. The spring programming is designed for grades 1-8 and is specific to Ontario curriculum, so teachers will have an easy time fitting our programs into their teaching requirements. Through offering an experiential, outdoor learning environment to students in the community we are hoping to instill a sense of pride and admiration for the natural landscape of the area. Further, we are hoping to foster ideas of conservation in students and encourage them to takes steps to protect the wonderful north.
Our Summer Eco Day Camp is designed with similar ideals. Through hiking, activities, and games we hope to inspire campers to feel proud of the land in and around Sault Ste Marie and work to protect the landscape. The camp is divided into nine sessions, each session being one week long. There are three age groups: critters (ages 7-10), explorers (ages 10-12), and navigators (ages 12-15). Campers will spend the week focusing on one of three themes: the Wonderful World of Water which will involve lesions on water bugs and the water cycle; All Things Green which focuses on plants; and Creepy Crawlers where campers will learn all about bugs. Registration starts now and continues through to the summer.
With the more birds singing everyday, baby squirrels busy enjoying the forest, and green things popping out from the ground we are busy getting ready for the slew of activities we will be offering for the remainder of the year. We are excited to be offering new services to the community and in working to get people out and learning in the great outdoors. For more information please contact us at 256-7258.
