The following letter was sent to the Sunshine Coast Regional District and copied to Coast Reporter.
As a new resident to the Coast and a recreation professional, I am writing to express my frustration and disappointment in the programming schedule for young children at the Gibsons Recreation Centre operated by the SCRD.
As a working parent of an extremely active and sporty three-year-old, it is frustrating to review the programs for my child, only to realize that they are geared towards families who stay home with their children. I think a healthy balance of programs during the day, on weekends and in the evenings would be of value to the entire community. My son would like nothing more than to participate in programs like Kicks for Kids, but unfortunately we are unable to, because all your scheduled programs run in the middle of the day.
If the centre is to meet all the needs of its community, I believe some thought should be put into scheduling programs to suit all.
In a day and age where childhood obesity has more than tripled in Canada in the last 20 years, opportunities for children to be active must start at a young age and be encouraged as a habit.
I ask that you please reconsider your scheduling in the winter session to include options for all families, from all walks of life. During tough financial times, some families turn to recreation-based facilities to fulfill their social and health needs. Please be a facility that meets these needs and provides the community with a place to build healthy children and families.
Lisa Stiver, Gibsons
