Abilities Centre

Abilities Centre 125,000 sq.ft. state-of-the-art fully accessible centre offering sports, fitness, arts & life skills. ft. facility in Whitby, Ontario.
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Abilities Centre is a vibrant, inclusive community hub where people of all ages and abilities come together to connect, learn, and grow. From sports, fitness, and arts to education, research, and life skills programs, everything we do is about creating opportunities in a welcoming, energetic space. Our story began in August 2000, when Christine Elliott and the late Honourable Jim Flaherty imagined

a place that would break down barriers and open doors for the over 15% of Canadians living with a disability. They dreamed of a state-of-the-art facility where inclusion was the standard and where people could thrive together. With the support of dedicated volunteers, all levels of government, private donors, and our community, that dream became reality. Ground broke in May 2010, and by June 2012 we opened the doors to our 125,000 sq. Fast forward to today, and our facility has been recognized as one of the most accessible buildings in the world! Abilities Centre is a not-for-profit and registered charity, proudly recognized with the 2016 Ontario David C. Onley Award for Leadership in Accessibility. Our work is fuelled by the belief that when everyone can participate, our whole community benefits - and that’s the future we’re building, every day.

06/11/2026

Play is for everyone.

On the International Day of Play, Abilities Centre is celebrating the joy, connection, and freedom that sport brings to people of all abilities. From the court to the field to the open road, these moments remind us that when sport is truly accessible, everyone wins.

Happy International Day of Play!



[Video description: Various clips from handcycling, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair rugby and ParaLacrosse.]

The countdown to summer is on, and camp registration is open now.Abilities Centre Summer Camp 2026 runs from June 29 to ...
06/10/2026

The countdown to summer is on, and camp registration is open now.

Abilities Centre Summer Camp 2026 runs from June 29 to August 21, with eight weekly themes designed for kids ages 5 to 12 of all abilities. Each week is sold separately, so you can register for one, a few, or go all in on the whole summer.

Every activity is thoughtfully adapted so every camper gets to fully participate, try new things, and walk away with a few new friends and a lot of great stories. Because that is what summer is supposed to feel like.

This summer's lineup includes Summer Blast, Sportsmania, Mystery Week, Little Adventures, Lights Camera Action, Discovery Week, Olympics and Paralympics, and Spirit Week. Eight weeks, eight totally different adventures.

The only hard part is choosing.

Spots fill up fast every year. Head to our website, abilitiescentre.org, to grab yours before they are gone.



[Image: A promotional graphic with text that reads: Kids Summer Camp. Where every kid can play, grow and belong this summer! June 29 to August 21, 2026. 1 Jim Flaherty Street, Whitby, Ontario. abilitiescentre.org, [email protected]. Three images from past summer camps of participants having fun fill the top-right corner.]

Summer is almost here, and so is Thrive Summer Camp!We are thrilled to announce that Thrive Summer Camp is back for 2026...
06/09/2026

Summer is almost here, and so is Thrive Summer Camp!

We are thrilled to announce that Thrive Summer Camp is back for 2026, offering 7 weeks of programming for individuals ages 16 and up right here at Abilities Centre.

Camp runs from July 6 to August 21, 2026, and spaces are limited, so don't wait to reach out!

Here is what you need to know:

Who: Ages 16+ and Durham Region community members, including people with disabilities

When: July 6 to August 21, 2026 (7 weeks)

Where: Abilities Centre, Whitby

Fees: $275 for the full week and $150 for half days

How to register: Email [email protected] for registration information

Registration is first-come, first-served and closes July 6th, so get in touch today to secure your spot.

We can't wait to see you this summer! 🌟



[Image: A promotional graphic with three pictures of past Thrive summer camp participants having loads of fun. The text reads: Ages 16+. Thrive 2026. Abilities Centre Thrive Summer Camp. Themed weeks - Space week, sports mania, animal kingdom, Olympics, Hollywood, and more! July 6 to August 21.]

What an incredible day in Toronto!Abilities Centre’s Meagan Marques and Matisse Hamel-Nelis are wrapping up an inspiring...
06/08/2026

What an incredible day in Toronto!

Abilities Centre’s Meagan Marques and Matisse Hamel-Nelis are wrapping up an inspiring day at the A11YVERSE x IAAP Canada National Accessibility Leadership Summit, and we are leaving with full notebooks and a lot to think about.

From a keynote by Canada’s Chief Accessibility Officer Stephanie Cadieux, to a powerful leadership panel exploring what it truly takes to move accessibility from stated value to operational reality, to sessions on AI and accessibility, accessible employment, workplace accommodations, and more, today has been packed with the kind of conversations that push this work forward.

Thank you to A11YVERSE and IAAP Canada for bringing together such an incredible community of accessibility leaders, advocates, and practitioners. This is exactly the kind of ecosystem-building our sector needs.

We are proud to be in this room.



[Image: From left to right: Matisse, Stephanie and Meagan smile as pose for the camera.]

Registration is now open for Transit Awareness Training (T.A.T), happening this July!T.A.T is a one-week program for ind...
06/08/2026

Registration is now open for Transit Awareness Training (T.A.T), happening this July!

T.A.T is a one-week program for individuals aged 15 and up. Participants learn how to navigate their community and use public transit with confidence. Through hands-on learning, participants travel in small groups across Durham Region, practicing real skills like reading schedules, planning routes, transferring between buses, and traveling safely.

We have two sessions available this summer:

• Session 1: July 20 to 24 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

• Session 2: July 27 to 31 (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Located at Abilities Centre and various community sites across Durham Region.

Spaces are limited and registration closes July 8.

If you are interested in registering or would like to receive our Information Package, please contact us at [email protected].



[Image: A woman smiles as she points up to the Durham Region Transit bus stop. The text at the bottom reads: Transit Awareness Training (T.A.T) happening this July!]

06/06/2026

ACCESSIBILITY: As part of National AccessAbility Week, Grade 6 students from C.R. Gummow School took part in a Learn-to-Play Wheelchair Basketball event at the Cobourg Community Centre. 🏀♿

Thank you to the students, who brought incredible energy and enthusiasm to the court. A special thank you to coaches Tamara Steeves and Eric Voss, along with the Whitby Abilities Centre, for providing the wheelchairs, helping organize the event alongside Town staff, and sharing valuable insights that encouraged meaningful conversations about accessibility and inclusion.

As National AccessAbility Week comes to a close, we extend our gratitude to everyone who attended events, showed their support, and helped foster greater awareness and understanding within our community.
Abilities Centre

06/06/2026

Two weeks. Countless conversations. One incredible community.

This May, Abilities Centre had the honour of hosting our own National Accessibility Week alongside the national celebration of National AccessAbility Week, and the energy in this building, and beyond it, was something we will not forget.

From the Dismantling Ableism Symposium with keynote speaker David Lepofsky, to the National Accessibility Sports Forum, to the Community Research Show ‘n’ Tell, to our Wheelchair Basketball Tournament, to the Spring Market, to our Birthday Party Bash, to the Accessibility Awards Gala where we celebrated the remarkable individuals and organizations doing this work every single day. It was two weeks that reminded us exactly why this matters.

And then there were the stories. Seeing Abilities Centre represented on CP24, and watching our community’s voices reach a wider audience, was a moment we are genuinely proud of.

None of this happens without the people who showed up, who nominated, who spoke, who listened, who competed, who browsed, who celebrated, and who believe that a more accessible and inclusive world is not just possible but worth fighting for.



[Video description: Various clips from the events across the weeks celebrating National Accessibility Week!]

06/05/2026

What an incredible day for sport and inclusion!

Some of our team headed to Variety Village in Scarborough to celebrate and take part in the ParaLacrosse Launch Day, and it did not disappoint.

ParaLacrosse Launch Day was a milestone moment for accessible sport in Canada. Brought together by Lacrosse Canada, Lacrossing Barriers, Variety Village, and Abilities Centre, this event opened the door to lacrosse for participants of all abilities. Our staff showed up, tried something new, and experienced firsthand what inclusive sport looks like in action.

We are so proud to be part of a community that is breaking down barriers and creating space for everyone in sport. Days like this remind us why this work matters.

A huge thank you to Lacrosse Canada, Lacrossing Barriers, Variety Village, and the Canadian Lacrosse Foundation for making this event possible.



[Video description: Several clips from the ParaLacrosse Launch Day event, including Abilities Centre’s own Kendra getting into the mix and having fun.]

Today is a celebration of learning, research, and the people pushing knowledge forward, and there's something exciting t...
06/05/2026

Today is a celebration of learning, research, and the people pushing knowledge forward, and there's something exciting to share.

A team from Abilities Centre has co-authored a chapter in the brand-new Routledge Handbook of Physical Literacy, the very first edition of this important resource for the sector. The chapter, titled Leisure and Recreation, falls within the Community and Built Environment section of the handbook and reflects the collective learning of the author group, with real-world examples drawn from work underway at Abilities Centre.

The author team brings together expertise from across the organization, with representation from the research, therapeutic recreation, and physical literacy departments. Together, they've contributed to a resource that will help shape the understanding and practice of leisure, recreation, and physical literacy in classrooms, communities, and built environments across the field.

A huge congratulations to Bronwyn Corrigan, Mikaeli Cavell, Meagan Marques, Adam Fitzpatrick, and Emilie Michalovic on this accomplishment. Abilities Centre is so proud of the work you've done and the knowledge you're sharing with the wider community.

You can learn more about the chapter and the handbook here: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781032703466-37/leisure-recreation-bronwyn-corrigan-mikaeli-cavell-meagan-marques-adam-fitzpatrick-emilie-michalovic



[Image: The cover of the new Routledge Handbook of Physical Literacy, which features a child jumping in the air at a beach.]

Today, our team is proudly wearing red. ❤️June 3rd is Red Shirt Day, a national day of action for accessibility and incl...
06/03/2026

Today, our team is proudly wearing red. ❤️

June 3rd is Red Shirt Day, a national day of action for accessibility and inclusion held during National AccessAbility Week. It's a moment to stand in solidarity with the millions of Canadians living with disabilities, to celebrate their contributions and achievements, and to recommit to building communities where everyone can thrive, regardless of ability.

For us, accessibility and inclusion aren't a one-day effort. They're values we carry into our work every day, from how we coach and support our athletes to how we welcome everyone into our community.

Wearing red is the visible part. The real commitment is in the ongoing work of removing barriers, whether physical, attitudinal, or systemic, so that sport and opportunity are open to all.

Today we wear red, and every day we pledge to do our part.



[Image: A selfie with a group of Abilities Centre staff wearing red shirts in honour of Red Shirt Day.]

Address

1 Jim Flaherty Street
Whitby, ON
L1N0J2

Opening Hours

Monday 6am - 9pm
Tuesday 6am - 9pm
Wednesday 6am - 9pm
Thursday 6am - 9pm
Friday 6am - 9pm
Saturday 8am - 3pm
Sunday 8am - 3pm

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