By: Christian Collington, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, TheIFP.ca
Residents looking to make the most of the upcoming Family Day long weekend won’t have to look far for entertainment.
The Town of Halton Hills will be hosting free events on Monday Feb. 16, offering movie screenings, historical tours and free public skating.
Free active recreation
Both the Mold-Masters SportsPlex (221 Guelph St.) in Georgetown and the Acton Arena (415 Queen St.) will host free family skate sessions throughout the afternoon on Feb. 16.
Two sessions will be held at Mold-Masters SportsPlex, with the first running from 1:30-3 p.m. and the second starting at 3:45-5:15 p.m.
Acton Arena’s two sessions will run from 1-2:20 p.m. and 3:30-4:50 p.m.
While the skating is free, residents are reminded that regular rules apply. Skate helmet rentals will be available in limited sizes and families are encouraged to arrive 20 to 30 minutes early for fittings.
Swimmers can also take advantage of two free leisure swim sessions at the Gellert Community Centre Pool (10241 Eighth Line, Georgetown) from 10-11:30 a.m. and 12:15-1:45 p.m.
The Acton Lion’s Indoor Pool (69 Acton Blvd.) will also host a free leisure swim from 2-3 p.m.
Indoor play and creative arts
The town will be transforming local community rooms into “Play Streets,” featuring giant Jenga, large Connect Four and parachute games.
These sessions will run at the Gellert Community Centre from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the Acton Arena from 1-5 p.m.
The Helson Gallery (9 Church St., Georgetown) will be hosting a Royal Collection Trust-inspired workshop from 2-4 p.m. where participants can create original bookmark art using colour-wash media.
Science, cinema and stories at the library
The Halton Hills Public Library will be hosting a slew of activities at both its Georgetown (9 Church St.) and Acton (17 River St.) branches. Some of the activities are:
Mad Science: Up, Up and Away: An interactive science performance will introduce children to the principles of air pressure and take place at the Georgetown branch’s John Elliott Theatre at 1:30 p.m.
Film Screenings: A free screening of the 2025 movie “Elio” will take place at both branches at 3 p.m.
Teen programming: A Music Bingo session is scheduled for the Studio Room in Georgetown at 2 p.m.
Interactive Fun: Families can participate in a librarywide scavenger hunt or pick up a Great Backyard Bird Count kit to take home from 1-5 p.m.
More details on the library’s programming can be found online.
History and nature
For a unique local experience, the Acton Town Hall Centre (19 Willow St. N.) will be holding an open house from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors can explore the building’s historic jail cells, take guided tours with volunteers or enjoy board games and crafts.
Those preferring the outdoors can head to the Willow Park Ecology Centre (Guelph Street, Norval) for self-guided winter trail walks and scavenger hunts. Organizers note that the event is unstaffed and will be available starting at 7 a.m. from Saturday Feb. 14 through to Monday Feb. 16.
Parking lot access is located on Mary Street in Norval.
More information is available on the Willow Park Ecology Centre event page.
Residents should note that most events are drop-in and do not require registration, though capacity limits may apply for skating and swimming.
For more details about Family Day events and to download the schedule, residents can visit the town’s website.
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