Mitchell Park SUPIE Program Returns for Year Three
The SUPIE (Supervised) Program is returning to Mitchell Park at 399 Giles Boulevard West for 2025. SUPIE was launched as a pilot program in 2023 and was such a success over its first two years that it has returned to Mitchell Park for another summer!
The SUPIE Program will run seven days a week, excluding statutory holidays, from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. until August 30, 2025.
The SUPIE Program, which is a fun way of saying “supervised,” is a collaboration between City Council, City administration, and community partners. The program is designed to restore proper usage of the park to the residents of the neighbourhood by providing recreation staff to run free programming for youth-aged children.
In 2023 and 2024, over 250 youth participated in SUPIE, and stakeholder feedback has shown that the program contributed to an increase in park utilization, community engagement, and overall park satisfaction. A goal of the program is to reduce crime in the park, and data from our partners indicates that it has been successful in this regard.
The goal of the program is to offer barrier-free access to recreation services by bringing City programming and activities directly into an underrepresented area of the community. The City of Windsor Recreation Department uses this opportunity to promote other recreation programs, the Pathway to Potential (P2P) subsidy program, and other barrier-reducing initiatives to encourage residents of the core to continue engaging in recreation opportunities.
Given the success of SUPIE at Mitchell Park, City administration is looking to expand its reach. Stay tuned for further exciting announcements as we bring SUPIE to more local parks!
To register for SUPIE programming, visit ActiveWindsor.ca or call Central Registration and Booking at 519-255-1161.
Quotes:
“I helped launch this initiative back in 2023 after concerns about aggressive behaviour among youth in the park, and I’m really happy to see this program back for another year. Part of turning downtown into a true neighbourhood is making sure there are fun, positive things for kids to do. This program brings that — it’s about mentorship, leadership, sports, and activities. It’s everything a community needs to grow stronger.”
- Councillor Renaldo Agostino, Ward 3
“We are pleased to announce the renewal of our partnership with the Downtown Windsor Community Collaborative. With the addition of more City of Windsor staff, enhanced program plans, and upgraded equipment inventory, we are excited to once again deliver high-quality programming to participants of the SUPIE Program.”
- Nada Tremblay, Manager of Community Programming and Development