It’s time to thrive outside (or inside!): June is Recreation and Parks Month!

Get active with Guelph parks, trails and recreation programs during June

Guelph, Ont., May 29, 2025 – June is Recreation and Parks Month (JRPM), an annual initiative led by Parks and Recreation Ontario, is just around the corner! It’s the perfect time to enjoy the City of Guelph’s outdoor spaces, recreation programs, fun places and activities that offer ways to connect with the community and embrace an active lifestyle. The recognition month’s tagline, ‘Community Thrives Here,’ highlights the ways parks and recreation bring us all together.

Join in on the fun with Guelph recreation programs

The City offers a wide range of exciting recreation programs for all ages and interests. A schedule of drop-in programs for June is Recreation and Parks Month is available on recenroll.ca.

We’ll be hosting an event to celebrate June is Recreation and Parks Month at the West End Community Centre. Join us for free programming such as badminton, swimming, pickleball and more all day long!

Date: Saturday, June 21
Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Location: West End Community Centre

View the full event schedule and details

RecEnroll is also the place to find all the program schedules for our full suite of recreation programs, including children’s art, sports programs, adult fitness and more!

Parks, playgrounds, trails and sports fields

Spend time outside and get active by visiting any of the City’s many parks, playgrounds, trails and sports fields. All our skate parks, baseball diamonds, basketball courts, disc golf courses, tennis and pickleball courts are open. Baseball diamonds, soccer fields and cricket pitches are open for casual use when not rented. Visit guelph.ca/parks for maps and information and email [email protected] or visit the facility rentals webpage to rent an available field or facility.

Don’t miss the Riverside Park carousel and miniature train! The rides are open from 12 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and holidays until late June, when they’ll be open every day. Learn more about the rides and where to buy tickets and passes by visiting our website.

Want to help shape the City’s parks and playgrounds? Check out Have Your Say for engagement opportunities like our annual playground replacement initiative. Sign up for an account and share your thoughts to play a part in all sorts of City decision-making!

Swimming and splashing

We’re working towards opening our splash pads on May 30. The Market Square wading pool is on track to open for the season on June 2, and the Sunny Acres and Exhibition Park wading pools will open June 27. Stay up to date and find the latest information on City splash pads and wading pool hours on our website. Information on public swims, learn to swim programs and other aquatics programs is available on RecEnroll.

Aquatics Leadership Academy

Interested in becoming a swim instructor or lifeguard? We’ve got the program for you!

Guelph Recreation’s Aquatics Leadership Academy plan is for those looking to enhance their knowledge and skills in aquatic leadership or become a certified swim instructor or lifeguard. This plan allows you to pay a one-time fee of $300 to register for all five core aquatic leadership courses. The plan can also be used for lane swims and drop-in skill development sessions, allowing you to practice your skills and receive feedback from leadership instructors. Learn more about the program and its benefits.

South End Community Centre

We’ve got an exciting update on the South End Community Centre. The building structure is now complete, and we’re on track to open in late 2026. For more information and to track construction progress, check out our project page.

Parks and recreation for all

Everyone should have the opportunity to participate in recreation programs. In partnership with the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington, the Free to Grow program provides grants to low-income families to help children and youth under 18 participate in recreation programs. For those over 18, the City’s Fee Assistance in Recreation (FAIR) program provides adults and seniors on a limited income with subsidies for recreation programs, passes, and other memberships. To learn more about these fee assistance options and to apply visit guelph.ca/support-services, call 519-837-5618 or visit any of our community centres.

Our recreation programs offer inclusion supports so people of all abilities can participate. Inclusion support is available for people with a disability who require extra support to participate in programs or camps. This service is provided at no additional cost. Several of the City’s parks also have play areas with accessibility features. A list of all our play areas, including those with accessibility features, is available on our website.

For more information