Celebrate June with free programs and activities across Oakville

Join the Town of Oakville and community partners in welcoming the summer season with a month packed with exciting opportunities for the community to learn, participate and engage in free programs and activities. Residents are invited to celebrate National Indigenous History Month, Pride Month, Recreation and Parks Month and Seniors Month by participating in fun and educational events that aim to raise awareness and provide opportunities for the community to connect.  

National Indigenous History Month

The Town of Oakville is situated on Treaty 14 and Treaty 22 lands and territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee. Oakville is currently home to many different First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. We acknowledge and thank the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation for being stewards of this territory. In recognition of National Indigenous History Month, residents are encouraged to:

• Learn more about Treaty 22, which encompasses the lands at 12 Mile Creek (Bronte Creek) and 16 Mile Creek in Oakville, and Treaty 14 (Head of the Lake Purchase) through a number of permanent educational signs in prominent Oakville locations including Erchless Estate, Sovereign House, and Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre as part of The Debwewin Project.
• Visit the Debwewin: The Truth Project Exhibition, which was created in partnership with Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Oakville Community Foundation and the Oakville Museum and in collaboration with the Debwewin Advisory Council and Know History. The exhibit at Erchless Estate offers a better understanding of past and present Treaty relationships in what is now Oakville.  
• Visit the orange crosswalk at Thomas and Church streets. The crosswalk honours children of the residential school system, and provides the public with not only the opportunity to reflect on generational impact, trauma and oppression endured by Indigenous peoples in Canada, but to also learn more about the treaty lands Oakville resides on, and Indigenous culture. The intersection also features a utility cabinet covered in a Moccasin Identifier Project design of four moccasins representative of the four linguistic groups in Ontario and a permanent interpretive sign. 
• Enjoy a walk along one of two Moccasin Trails and explore the history of the lands from an Indigenous perspective. Follow one trail along Sixteen Mile Creek Inner Valley to Dundas Street West at Lions Valley or the other trail located along Bronte Creek Heritage Trail near Rebecca and Mississaga streets.  
• Visit Tannery Park and explore the Moccasin Identifier and outdoor classroom gathering circle and learn about Indigenous history by walking along the park’s path and reading the “Rooted in the Land” history wall, which was created in consultation with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
• Join Oakville Public Library and Archives Canada online on June 17 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. to learn about resources related to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation genealogy, how to access collections in person or online, and how to get advice or assistance. Registration is required.

Pride Month

• Display or wear a rainbow to show your support. The progress rainbow flag will fly at Town Hall during the month of June in support of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
• Walk with pride along one of Oakville’s rainbow crosswalks located on Lakeshore Road at the intersections of Navy Street, Kerr Street, and Bronte Road.  
• Make a Pride button during Maker Drop-In hours at the Oakville Public Library.
• Take part in Pride Trivia hosted by the Oakville Public Library in partnership with Pflag Halton on Thursday, June 6 at 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Central Branch or Tuesday, June 18 from 7 to 8 p.m. at Glen Abbey Branch.

Recreation and Parks Month

• Residents of all ages and abilities are invited to participate in free recreation and culture drop-in activities and more. Visit the town’s Drop-In Programs page to browse opportunities and reserve your spot, including 
  • “Getting Started in Exercise” class at River Oaks Community Centre on June 3 from 5 to 5:45 p.m.
  • All ages clay drop-in session at Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre on June 14 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.
  • Community Play Night featuring roller skating at Trafalgar Park Community Centre on June 7 from 5 to 8 p.m.
  • Stretch class at Glen Abbey Community Centre on June 12 from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. 
  • Table tennis for 18 years and older at Iroquois Ridge Community Centre on June 19 from 4:30 to 6:40 p.m.
• Visit our parks and open spaces, including our gardens, off-leash dog parks, playgrounds, skateboard parks, splash pads, sports fields, courts, and harbours. Oakville offers more than 1,700 hectares of parkland (not sure if this number is accurate anymore), nearly 250 kilometres of trails and more than 200 parks! 
• Get active and participate in the ParticipACTION’s community challenge and help the town as it vies to be Canada’s most active community! The more Oakville organizations and individuals sign up and participate, the bigger the town’s change of winning $100,000 to support local sport and physical activity initiatives!
• Visit the Oakville Museum to view Headquarters for Horsemen and Bicyclists display and Erchless Estate: Its Gardens and Dwellings outdoor panel exhibition and learn about how Oakville grew to boast more than 260 kilometres of on-road bike lanes and off-road cycling paths as well as the creation, development and evolution of the Erchless Estate, including the gardens, horticultural features and architecture. On June 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. town staff will be onsite to share cycling safety tips and information, giveaways and more.

Seniors Month

• The town has five seniors centres in Oakville with a goal of providing a welcoming, accessible and supportive environment for older adults. Learn more about the town’s Seniors Services. 
• Get active and creative this summer with some recreation and culture drop-in activities and more. Registration for summer programming opens on June 5. Visit the town’s Drop-In Programs page to browse opportunities, including:
  • Older adult social time at Iroquois Ridge Community Centre on June 5 from 1 to 3 p.m.
  • a free group session with a personal trainer at Trafalgar Park Community Centre from 11 a.m. to noon.
• Check out Oakville Public Library Seniors Month programming.

For more activities and events, visit the Celebrate June page. 

Quote

“Join us in celebrating June and all it has to offer! With the warmer weather upon us, I hope residents will take the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the summer season at the free activities and programs the town will be offering this month.”

– Mayor Rob Burton