Pictures taken were at the Centres by volunteers Bill McMullen and James McDonald
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board operates two Outdoor Education Centres and Programs: MacSkimming Outdoor Education Centre in Ottawa’s east end, and the Bill Mason Centre in the west. Both Centres provide high quality, hands-on outdoor programming that is designed and delivered to complement classroom learning in many sections of the Ontario Curriculum. Each visiting group is introduced to the beauty of the natural world, and our place in it. Learn more by checking out our Outdoor Education Newsletter.
This 502-acre outdoor classroom is used annually by 22,000 elementary and secondary students, who attend the Centres for day programs, to learn and participate in outdoor programs based on their grade’s curriculum.
The operation and management of the OCDSB Outdoor Education Centres is through the branch of the OCDSB Continuing Education Department and is assisted by all OCDSB departments. Community sponsors and partners greatly contribute financially to ensure that elementary and secondary students are able to attend the centres.
The primary focus of these educational facilities is to provide outdoor learning opportunities to elementary and secondary students. To ensure that every OCDSB student has the opportunity to attend the Centres, the “Every Student Attends Program” was created. This program allows OCDSB Grade 3 and 7 classes to attend either Centre for one curriculum-based outdoor field trip per school year with no programming cost.