Any child or youth aged 4–18 who lives in an OCH community is eligible to apply.
You can verify your address by clicking here.
Yes, recLINK is free to access. Families do not pay any program registration fees. recLINK works with subsidy systems and community partners to ensure cost is not a barrier to participation.
Programs vary throughout the year and may include:
Our team works with you to find options that match your child’s interests and availability.
You can complete the recLINK sign-up form below. Once submitted, a team member will contact you to learn more about your child’s interests, schedule, and other specific needs. If you need help filling out the form, contact our team for support.
No. You can come with ideas and share your child’s interests, but you don’t need to find a specific program. recLINK staff will help find appropriate programs and guide you through the process.
That’s completely okay. Many children entering recLINK are trying activities for the first time. Our team helps families choose programs that feel welcoming and age-appropriate, and we remain available if additional support is needed.
Please let us know during the intake process. We will do our best to connect your child with inclusive programs and work with partners to ensure appropriate supports are in place.
There’s no reason to worry. Share your needs and concerns with our team and we will do whatever we can to ensure your child has everything they need to focus on the program they choose.
Pop-In & Play activities are free recreation events hosted directly in OCH communities. Each event is designed for a specific age group children, youth, families, adults, or seniors, so activities are tailored to participants. These events offer opportunities to try new activities in a welcoming, low-pressure environment. Pop-ins include shared meals or refreshments to encourage connection and reduce isolation. Pop-in events such as museum visits include transportation. We aim to make these events as accessible as possible.
Put together, in 2025 recLINK registrations and Pop-in & Play events brought the joy of recreation to a total of 966 people. That’s 718 children and youth, and 248 adults and seniors. Throughout the year, recLINK provided 10,434 hours of programming and 595 days of camps.
Communities are selected based on a combination of factors including limited access to recreation opportunities and the length of time since programming was last offered in that location. We also make every effort to distribute Pop-In & Play events across the city to ensure as many OCH communities as possible can benefit from access to recreation.
If you’d like to suggest an activity for your community or learn whether an event is planned in your community this year, we encourage you to contact our team. We welcome tenant input and are always looking for ways to better meet community interests and needs.
recLINK’s free programming is made possible through the generous support of our donors and funders such as the Happy Roots Foundation, Ottawa Senators Community Foundation, Smile Cookies, Ottawa Community Foundation, Harry P Ward, Girls on the Move (OSEG), Christina Marie Hendrie Trust, City of Ottawa, Harbour Harvest Charity Ice Fishing Derby, Ottawa Titans Foundation and Crabtree Foundation.
Additionally, we leverage subsidies and an extensive network of community partnerships to convert every $1 spent into $3 worth of programming.
Make a donation: It takes just $100 a year or $10 a month, to provide year-round access to recreation for one child.
Partner with us: Recreation, arts, and sport organizations can collaborate with us to expand access. Contact our team, we’re always happy to answer questions or explore partnership opportunities.
