Accessible programs in Regina 

City claims they hope to create places where people feel welcome to participate in meaningful ways

The City of Regina has been working towards making recreation facilities and programs more accessible in Regina. The Carillon recently spoke with Courtney Domoney who works in inclusion programs through the City of Regina.  

Over the last couple of years, accessible programs and areas have grown in Regina. “We have an adaptive recreation plan that the city is working towards completing. […] This plan is specific to [ensure] there are recreation opportunities for people who may experience a disability,” explained Domoney. “We also have a general recreation plan that speaks to focusing on recreational activities for all City of Regina residents regardless of their abilities. These two documents guide our decision-making to ensure there are opportunities for everyone.”  

The City of Regina plans activities all year round. “We try to respond to a wide variety of ages and interest levels,” Domoney said. While the city ensures these programs are an option, they also try to ensure that they are accessible, looking at things such as cost, staff training, and on-site equipment. 

One example of programming that the City of Regina provides is a sensory-friendly program, Domoney explains. “We try and run this program when not as many things are running in the facility so there are no extra loud noises. We also try and have a room where we can control the lighting. We try and think of the barriers ahead of time and try to eliminate as many as possible for the specific population we are trying to target our program for,” Domoney stressed.  

Much of a successful and accessible program comes from planning and design. As Domoney explained, the City of Regina tries to “design programs to be as accessible as possible, right off the bat.” 

The City of Regina also tries to help the programs run smoothly and ensures they have the assistance they need by offering annual training to staff, providing specific education for all abilities. The city has also worked with community organizations such as Creative Options Regina and Regina Pride to help with accessibility and community awareness.  

Domoney, when speaking with the Carillon, explained that the primary goal is “to create places and spaces where people can feel welcomed to participate in a meaningful way. If that means you want to play by yourself, play with others and make friends, or participate as families, we have options that are open for everyone.”  

These programs, places, and spaces created by the City of Regina included February’s Family Week pop-up events and plan to have more events take place in the summer, involved in city parks and being active in outdoor spaces. 

If you are looking for additional information on where to find programs, spaces, areas, and classes that the City of Regina hosts, you can find answers at regina.ca/recreations, where an online version of their leisure guide exists.   

The City of Regina Leisure Guide lists some programs with a red “AP,” the Adapted Program logo. These programs are, according to the City of Regina, “intended to be used as stepping stones to inclusion and focus on individuals’ unique needs.” 

Adapted programs in the city include an adapted leisure swim, as well as swimming lessons, art programs, sport and fitness programs such as soccer, and even social programs which include community outings. More information can be found on pages 31-32 of the Winter/Spring 2024 leisure guide.