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NookSummer operates for 7 weeks in July and August on weekdays from 10 am to 4 pm according to this calendar (this should be the link to our summer schedule). NookSummer is based in Christie Pits Park at Bloor and Christie in Toronto’s West End. In a collaborative effort with program staff, volunteers, funders, students and community partners, NookSummer provides the following opportunities for local children during the summer months:

• Creative literacy programming
  
• Daily snack and innovative health education
  
• Life-skills programs (Conflict Management, Peer Volunteering)
  
• Dynamic and diverse Arts programming (visual arts, drama, music, dance)
  
• Daily swim at Alex Duff Pool
  
• Exciting and educational local field trips
  
• Dynamic and diverse Sports/Recreation programming (team sports, co-operative games, tournaments, team-building activities)
  
• Access to free biking through the Pedal Pushers Community Bike Borrowing Program
  
• In-the-park Film Screenings, on-site art installations and performance opportunities
  
• Opportunities to participate in community events and learn from local artists
  
• Venues for positive communication and collaboration between diverse ethnic and cultural communities
  
• Innovative environmental education including community gardening
  
• Early intervention with regards to violence prevention and gang involvement
  
• Volunteer opportunities for youth, seniors, students and others

All Nook programs are provided free to children between the ages of 6 and 12 from local low-income families. There are occasional fees for summer field trips.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       NOOK NEWS

Summer 2009

Nook Summer Camp this year was a great success! With a team of dedicated staff, volunteers and our wonderful Nook kids and families, we had many adventures in Christie Pits park and the city. It was six weeks of fun in the sun (with only a couple of days of rain), where we enjoyed creative daily programming, fun games like Predator vs. Prey and Chuck the Chicken.  We also soaked up lots of water while playing Drip, Drip, Drop and enjoying our giant water slide. Our daily programming included literacy activities like storytelling, improv, Giant Scrabble and trips to the Gladstone and Palmerston Libraries. We played sports like soccer, baseball and basketball throughout the summer. As well, we had the Nook Summer Olympics which included events like discus, relay races, gymnastics and long jump. Summer arts activities included sewing teddy bears, making sushi and fruit kebobs for Cooking Club, designing jewelery, creating Superhero costumes/disguises and participating in a Breakdancing workshop. The Nook kids also tended two garden plots in the Christie Pits Community Garden this summer and we are currently harvesting broccoli, basil, parsely, mint, cauliflower and zucchini with tomatoes, peppers, onions and pumpkins on the way! The produce grown in the Nook Garden will be used in our Cooking Club, donated to Nook families and used in the Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre kitchen.  As well, this summer we had very memorable field trips, which included watching a theatre production of High School Musical 2, a trip to Grange Park, watching a Blue Jays game, two movie afternoons and a visit to the Ontario Science Centre.  We can't wait until next year!

Snacktime at NookSummer.

Lost in books at the Gladstone Library.

Enjoying our Teddy Bear creations.

Having fun at the Jays Game.

Great friendships start at the Nook.

Nook summer staff.