Wesley Clover Parks Wraps Up Another Very Busy Summer

November 11, 2019

As is now the norm, the summer season of programs and events at Wesley Clover Parks was a very busy time once again. Here are a few of the highlights:

CAMP

  • Reservations at the Campground were strong throughout the season, aided in part by the online reservation system which was deployed this With operations now winding down, the number of guests has surpassed that for 2018, and the team has knocked it out of the Park once again!
  • With the close of camping the facility will shift to off-season For example, set up will begin shortly for the annual Magic of Lights Christmas display. Over the last three years, this seasonal feature has generated more than $100,000 for the Ottawa Senators Foundation, the charitable partner who empowers children and youth through physical and mental wellness programs. Expectations are high for another engaging and successful event this year.
  • Park partners the Kanata Nordic Ski Club and Orienteering Ottawa will also be ready to launch their winter programs in the Campground as soon as the inevitable snow starts to fly.

FARM

  • In partnership with Gees Bees Honey Company, shares in the Community Supported Pollination Project sold out once again. This hive-share program allows community members to buy a portion of a beehive and receive jars of local honey at the fall harvest. Hive ‘owners’ get to tour the hives, meet the bees and collect their honey (apparently an outstanding harvest this season) during “Bee Day” which took place earlier this fall.
  • The Parks hay fields were particularly productive this year. The maintenance team took advantage of all the dry weather between scheduled events to bring in more hay than ever. There was enough to feed the Parks horses (and Zak the donkey as well) and also sell some surplus to local farms.

GATHER

  • Wesley Clover Parks hosted the second annual National Capital Car Show, presented by Mark Motors Group, during the Quarter. Featuring hundreds of cars and trucks, contests, family activities and live entertainment, the event had something for everyone. More than 450 exhibitors and more than 3000 members of the public took in the show, and are eager to return again next year.
  • The Parks hosted the RBC Race for The Kids in September. The event welcomed more than 2,200 participants and raised $371,423 for mental health programs at CHEO, the local children’s hospital.

LEARN

The Ottawa Forest and Nature School conducted another full season of children’s programs over the summer. The dedicated team and the unique location at the Parks helped the School grow for the sixth year running. Since inception in 2014, the programs have provided outdoor play and learning for more than 1,500 children, families and educators annually across the Ottawa region.

PLAY

The athletic fields welcomed thousands of players to the site through partnerships with West Ottawa Soccer Club and Ottawa Sports and Social Club. They will keep playing as long as weather permits …

RIDE

  • Lessons at the Ian Millar School of Horsemanship showed no sign of slowing down this season, with yet another fully booked schedule and a wait-list. Riders with the WCP Equestrian show team had a busy season as well, and succeeded in qualifying nine riders for the important Trillium Championships.
  • The Ottawa Equestrian Tournaments (OET), a now world-class series of show jumping events, marked the fifth anniversary and continued its impressive growth this Combined, the three tournaments hosted more than 1,600 horses and tens of thousands of spectators.
  • A new feature of the two-week OET — the inaugural Ottawa Special Events Spurs & Sparkles Soirée — raised approximately $50,000 for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation with generous contributions from more than 350 guests. The evening combined entertainment, prizes and local craft brews paired with delicious food provided by the Brookstreet Hotel. The unique Get Up & Gallop event teamed corporate leaders in golf carts with distinguished equestrians on horseback to complete an obstacle course in the shortest time. Guests bet on their favourites, and all proceeds went to the great cause.
  • The OET will be expanded further for 2020, covering five weeks of competition that includes three National and two International events. Stay tuned for more news on this and other Park developments as we wind through the off-season … wesleycloverparks.com