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Abilities in Motion hosts annual Regatta at Earl Rowe Park

August 28, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

It was a great day to be on the water when Abilities in Motion hosted the opening day of its annual Regatta at Earl Rowe Provincial Park on Friday, Aug. 15.

It was a two-day event. On Friday, members gather for lunch, some games, and time in a canoe or kayak.

The fun continued on Saturday, Aug. 16, when the public was invited to the group’s location at their boathouse to see what Abilities in Motion is all about.

Abilities in Motion provides opportunities for those with mental or physical challenges to learn about canoeing and kayaking. Working with instructors, people learn about canoeing and kayaking while doing it at their own pace.

Instructors help participants develop kayaking skills at the level and speed at which the paddlers are comfortable.

“This is the first day of our fourth annual Regatta,” explained Abilities in Motion site coordinator Chanelle Zimmer. “Today, we have all our organizational groups here. We have CLASS from Alliston and Bradford, Empower Simcoe, Brampton Caledon Living and Camphill Communities here today. These are paddlers that paddle with us every other week through the whole summer. This is one big day to enjoy the big canoe and other fun activities.”

In addition to getting out on the water, participants enjoyed the social aspect of the day and taking part in some games.

“We had scavenger hunts, a tug of war, some land activities, and lunch from the Rotary Club,” Chanelle explained. “It’s a day to get everyone out and enjoy time out on the water. Friday is for all of our organizational members, and Saturday is for the general public. It’s for everyone to come out and join in the fun.”

The event provides awareness to local residents about the programs that Abilities in Motion offers.

Every year, they bring out the ‘big canoe.’ This is an oversized canoe that is 26 feet long and allows several people to go canoeing together.

The weather cooperated over the weekend, so everyone had a chance to get out on the water, enjoy the sunshine, and have a fun day of paddling. 

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