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A Need for Every Child Outdoors
The Every Child Outdoors (ECO) program at rare provides programs for students from JK to Ph.D. and does so in a way that is unique – it starts with the work of key scientists, is hands-on and inquiry-based and takes full advantage of the special, local landscape found at rare.
- From rare’s ECO Summer Camp – Photo by Brittany Slugoski
To fulfill the vision of Every Child Outdoors, we must Open the Door to Environmental Education – literally!
Introducing the rare ECO Centre!
A historic homestead, including an 1840s limestone Slit Barn – one of only a few remaining in Ontario – and its companion farmhouse is under renovation so we can offer our programs year-round to the greatest number of students possible.
- An 1840s Slit Barn now being transformed into the rare ECO Centre. Photo by Peter Kelly.
When complete, the rare ECO Centre will become a hub of activity, hosting programs aimed at youth, New Canadians, and visiting researchers, and providing a space for community groups to gather in.
The total ECO Centre construction is estimated at $1.7 million, and with over $1 million raised to date, we are set to launch the next and final phase of construction. We will finish the final structural elements of the barn, maintaining its historical features, and bring the house up to code so that classroom space is available – for the first time, year-round. This would make all the difference in our ability to offer programs to meet current demands, and would make a big difference in the lives of our community’s children and youth.
We need your help to finish this project. Every donor, regardless of the size of the gift, becomes a Founding Donor with his or her name listed on the permanent donor wall at the end of the campaign. By making a donation today, and giving environmental education a home at rare, you can have a lifelong impact on our community’s children and benefit the environment.