Although the Collingwood Sailing School has not operated since 2019, a new proposal to the town may bring back the program.
On council’s committee of the whole agenda for March 18, a staff report will be considered by councillors proposing to bring a new inclusive learn-to-sail program to the Collingwood harbour, done in collaboration with the Collingwood Sailing Academy.
According to the staff report, the Collingwood Sailing School has not been in operation since the summer of 2019 as COVID-19 created barriers for training, resulting in fewer instructors in the region. The town has not been able to fill the instructor positions since that time and the expertise does not exist within town staff to manage the instruction of students and maintenance of the sailing fleet.
Staff had been investigating developing a summer camp program this year, for inclusion in the 2025 budget cycle, when the proposal from the academy came across their desks.
“The loss of the sailing school has felt significant,” wrote the town’s parks and recreation director Dean Collver in his report to councillors. “An unsolicited proposal brought forward by former instructors with the school will possibly allow both opportunities to exist.”
The request includes the use of dock space, the town’s fleet of dinghies and a coach boat that were used previously by the Collingwood Sailing School.
The Collingwood Sailing Academy has a board, which includes members with a history of teaching the CANSail curriculum, as well as experience in teaching sailing to individuals with physical barriers.
Their plan is to bring back the CANSail program to the harbour with the use of the town’s boats but also includes developing accessibility and inclusion for service offerings.
As part of their proposal, the academy has included a draft operating plan that includes liability coverage (through Ontario Sailing), emergency preparedness, and maps a pathway through their pilot year of operations.
“Staff feel confident that their operation has a solid chance of success with little to no risks to the town,” wrote Collver in the report.
At the March 18 meeting, councillors will consider giving preliminary approval for the new collaboration to proceed through the development of an official agreement. To read the full staff report and the Collingwood Sailing Academy’s proposal, click here.
Council’s committee of the whole meeting will take place on Monday, March 18 following the regular council meeting, which starts at 2 p.m. Any members of the public may attend in person in council chambers at Collingwood town hall, or virtually by Zoom webinar. The meeting will also be livestreamed on the town’s YouTube channel here.
UPDATE: At the committee of the whole meeting on March 18, councillors gave preliminary approval for the town to develop an official agreement. The decision will need to be ratified at the next meeting of council before going into effect.