The dire warnings of George R.R. Martin’s works aside, the coming of fall and winter are not events that should inspire trepidation in the hearts of Sooke residents.
Over at the SEAPARC Leisure Complex, fall and winter offer the facility a chance to throw open their doors to offer a host of program opportunities that will make winter a season to be welcomed.
Programs range from the old standards to some new and exciting opportunities.
As you might expect, the aquatic centre continues to be a perennial favourite with lessons ranging from a “duck” level to national lifeguard certification. The latter will allow those who complete the course to work as a lifeguard. The former will get participants a nifty certificate and badge that will look great posted on the fridge door.
And aside from the lessons, the pool offers a lot more splashing good times to be had for every age.
Similarly, the arena’s programming will attract skaters of all ages, as well as some inter-generational fun with the Family and Friends hockey program.
SEAPARC will also be offering a host of activities, including jazz dance for three year olds, lessons for knitters, and for those who prefer kicking to knitting, Taekwondo classes taught by expert instructors.
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From community walks to guitar lessons and cooking classes, the program guide is chock-full of opportunities to spend the coming seasons improving your fitness, learning a new skill, or just have some fun.
One rather unique set of programs is returning to SEAPARC with a series of offerings designed to stimulate the mind of those who take part.
The series features some evocative titles like Einstein for Beginners, Thinking about Gender, and A Primer on Climate Change.
The classes are the brainchild of Bob Stamp and the Sooke Region Lifelong Learning group.
The group was formed last year with the goal of providing a series of talks to the residents of Sooke while tackling real and sometimes controversial topics. The SEAPARC programs they offered met with overwhelming praise.
“We’ve been really fortunate in attracting some great presenters for the program,” said Stamp, who admits that the average age of those in the programs tends to be 55+.
But Stamp is optimistic that in the future the group will be able to attract a younger demographic to their SEAPARC programs.
“The trick is that you need to have topics and instructors that will motivate younger people to put down their devices long enough to actually learn something new and to stimulate what might be a different take on a variety of topics,” said Stamp.
A description of all the programs offered by SEAPARC can be found at www.crd.bc.ca/seaparc.
As a final note, SEAPARC has once again it is a participants of the Leisure Involvement for Everyone (LIFE) program, designed to provide low-cost recreation opportunities for individuals and families on limited incomes. Anyone who feels that they may qualify for free or reduced-price programs can apply at SEAPARC.
mailto:tim.collins@sookenewsmirror.com
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