Strathmore continues to see more free recreation programs, as recent additions like a family day swim on Feb. 20, Aquasize on the 13, and Deep Water Run on the 9 and 23 are coming to the pool. This is on top of already existing expansions and programs, like the current pilot program at the Strathmore Motor Products Sports Centre, which is seeing the centre open at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, rather than the usual 8:00 a.m. opening time. Could this be a sign that more rec programs are coming to Strathmore?

Town of Strathmore's Marketing Coordinator Scott Garnett explained the Town is constantly adapting their programming to meet the needs of the community. By offering various pilot programs, the Town can see what sticks and what the community is getting the best use out of.

"It's always worth trying pilot projects. It allows you to create an idea and then test it out before you roll it out. So for the the SMP (Strathmore Motor Products) sports centre we started early morning hours towards the end of 2022 and it's been a great test run. So much so that we're starting trials of Saturday mornings being open at 7:00 AM," he said.

Garnett emphasized the importance of adapting and being flexible. If a pilot program does well, it could lead to other similar implementations, like how Saturday mornings are also now being tested. 

"It potentially opens up the door for us to to be willing to try new things. I think you need that little bit of confidence to be able to say 'hey, let's try and scale this. Let's try and and see what it's like at other facilities early in the morning.'"

While Garnett is happy with the current pilot program so far, he added no definitive plans have been made. The Town will wait until the program is over before making any decisions, and also that they are constantly looking at what else they can do and how they can adapt and improve. 

"We will continue to look at ways of expanding offerings throughout our regular hours. One example of new programming was the introduction of TRX (Total Body Resistance Exercise) , and the free orientations we have been offering."

As for how the Town decides what programs or facilities to expand upon, Garnett said it's a multi-layered process that the Town analyzes to see what resources are best used where.

"There are many considerations that go into shaping recreation schedules. Demand, staffing, rentals, lessons, maintenance, and user groups affect capacity, and in turn, influence our service offering."

For more information visit the Town of Strathmore's website at https://strathmore.ca/