Sarnia’s Strangway Community Center invited the public in Saturday morning to learn about adult recreation programs and activities offered by the city.
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The New Year’s open house is an annual event and typically draws 350 to 400 people to the center for adults aged 20 and older where many of the programs take place, said activities programmer Mike Neely.
Visitors Saturday were able to speak with instructors, as well as convenors of drop-in programs, and check out the center’s facilities, including a hobby shop and its woodworking tools.
“There’s close to 30 individuals here sharing information on their programming,” Neely said. “You get some one-on-one with them if you have specific questions.”
Drop-in programs at the center include billiards, knit and chat, chess, cribbage, social bridge, the SUES ukulele group, art club, table tennis, mahjong, pepper, shuffleboard, euchre, scrabble, mediation and carpet bowling.
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There are also classes held at the center and other locations in the city, including Build Your Bones, beginner pickleball, Aqua Energy, chair exercises, chair yoga, Latin Croovz, line dancing, Minds in Motion, card making, drawing, ceramic painting, languages, leather carving, water colors, guitar, photography and others.
Organized sports offered through the city include badminton, basketball, volleyball, pickleball and pick-up hockey.
Information about the programs and how to register can be found online at www.sarnia.ca/Recreation.
“I even see regulars come to this and see programs they weren’t aware we had,” Neely said Saturday.
The current fall and winter session of programming runs through March when information will be available about spring and summer programs, he said.
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There are fees for the classes and drop-in programs, with discounts for those who buy a membership to the center. A separate membership provides access to the hobby shop.
Between 1,600 and 2,000 individuals take part each year in the city’s adult recreation programs, Neely said.
James Carrothers, founder of North Star Tai Chi, was among instructors at Saturday’s open house. He has been leading sessions of Yang-style tai chi at the center for 20 years.
“It has been a great place to do it,” said Carrothers who currently leads weekly sessions there with between 10 to 15 students.
He began tia chi, an ancient Chinese form of exercise, in 1974 and was a full-time instructor before retiring.
“In 1974 hardly anyone knew what tia chi was” but “it’s becoming more popular,” he said.
At age 73, Carrothers continues to teach about 20 hours a week during the winter at locations around the community, and about 10 hours a week in the summer.
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