PENTICTON SAFETY VILLAGE
ABOUT
Penticton Safety Village is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Syilx, Okanagan Peoples. Today we turn our minds to you and to your ancestors. You have kept your unceded homelands strong. We are grateful to live, play and work here.
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The Penticton Safety Village has been a community hub for biking, events, and safety education for almost 40 years. The village is run by the Penticton Safety Village Society as a registered non-profit organization. Our volunteer Board of Directors hope to keep the Safety Village a community favourite for another 40 years.
Our village includes a network of mini streets, intersections, mock buildings, town square, traffic lights as well as a classroom block and a Fire Safety House instructed by our many local Fire Departments. Imagine a perfect little town and then scale it down to a half city block, that’s us.
The facility is accessible, no cost or very low cost, and adored by generations of area residents. In total, over 4000 children come through our gates each season. Each year we welcome about 70 elementary school classes or about 1500 students into our facility where they hop on a bike and learn safe riding by doing safe riding. Classes come from over 50 kms away to enjoy our quaint village. We serve 13 local schools, 10 neighbouring community schools and many childcares. As well as bike safety a major component of the village is Fire Safety education in our two-story firehouse. We also offer 911 training and pedestrian safety training.
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THANK YOU
Penticton Safety Village is made possible through BC Government Gaming Grants, the Canada Summer Jobs Program, help from the Kiwanis Club of Penticton, and fundraising. We receive substantial in-kind support from the City of Penticton.
After school hours from spring until fall, we host free open bike days where families come to enjoy the novelty of safe, car-free streets where children can peddle without risks and focus on the fun of cycling. The facility is used by groups as diverse as girl guides to dog trainers to mobility cart training for seniors. On weekends, we take bookings for community events, fundraisers, children’s clubs, and birthday parties. Each season, we host over 60 events.
COMMUNITY
The Penticton Safety Village is a unique and special place. There is nothing quite like it in the South Okanagan. Young and old in our community love our village. Parents with young children remember coming here themselves as a child and grandparents remember bringing their own children. Our community has a sentimental and personal attachment to our play space – it is something we all share in common.
We pride ourselves on being very affordable and offer birthday bookings at ¼ the cost of most facilities. We also recognize that our space is ideal for childcares and offer the space freely to childcare groups where we are able to lessen their costs and provide free and fun activities for kids in a safe environment. We have also extended free access to Strong Start groups and other groups that offer support to parents like Dragonfly Pond Family Society that do programming for kids with complex care needs. The facility is accessible, very low cost and adored by generations of area residents. In total, over 4000 children come through our gates each season.
Safety has always been a community concern. The Village aims to offer and expand safety education in a fun and engaging way. Our priorities are safety, affordability and fun.
TESTIMONIALS
Safety Village is important part of our community. Our non-profit organization, Dragonfly Pond Family Society, holds regular programs in the facility. The facility is all wheelchair accessible and we are able to get our adaptive bikes on the streets so our members can all learn about bike and fire safety. We love Safety Village!!
-Michelle Allin, Chair, Dragonfly Pond Family Society
This year the Safety Village was a great asset for our summer camp program. Additionally, having the space cost-free helped our non-profit immensely. Our children always enjoy their time there.
-Claudia Artiga, Site Leader, One Sky Community Resources Childcare Programs
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Some of our children's most memorable experiences have been at Safety Village. We have held an annual pumpkin party there for the last 6 years. It is a magical location. The kids love the independence of learning to ride on the mini streets while learning about road safety. It is an amazing place and a key part of our community.
-Jason Stevens
“Such an adorable set up!! My daughter loves going to the safety village. it's a great opportunity for the little ones to learn about road safety while playing. I want thank the safety village operators, for allowing the public free access.”
-Karissa Maria Wilson
Thank you for acknowledging the traditional territory of the Okanagan/Syilx people as well as the Penticton Indian Band upon our arrival at the Safety Village yesterday. I was touched that you began our field trip with the acknowledgment not only as an educator but also because I am an indigenous woman whose husband is Okanagan + a member of the Penticton Indian Band. ☺ Thank you for leading by example.
-BL Donovan, Wiltse Elem.
Everything turned out just perfect. Thankful to the Safety Village for everything. So many smiles shared!!
-Suzanne Schellenberg, Penticton Indian Band Strong Beginnings Family Program
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