Abilities Centre

09/29/2026

What does research actually look like at Abilities Centre?

For Mikaeli Cavell, Senior Manager, Research, it starts with community.

Research at Abilities Centre is connected to programs, teams and the people they support. It helps identify real needs, understand barriers and create meaningful impact in the community.

Lived experience is an important part of the process, helping make sure research reflects the people it is intended to support.

Watch as Mikaeli shares what makes research at Abilities Centre different.

Interested in learning more? Visit abilitiescentre.org to explore research at Abilities Centre.



[Video description: Mikaeli Cavell sits in front of the camera and answers questions about research at Abilities Centre.]

09/25/2026

Exercise is medicine.

For people living with cardiac or pulmonary conditions, staying active can be an important part of long-term symptom management.

Respiratory and Cardiac Maintenance (RCM) at Abilities Centre supports participants after completing formal rehabilitation through guided exercise focused on maintaining strength, mobility, confidence and independence.

Regular movement can help support symptom management, reduce flare-ups and lower the risk of hospitalization, while creating opportunities for connection and community along the way.

Interested in learning more? Visit abilitiescentre.org to explore RCM and find out how to get started.



[Video: Participants in the Respiratory and Cardiac Maintenance (RCM) program take part in a guided group exercise session at Abilities Centre. The video shows participants moving and exercising together in a supportive community setting. It ends with Carrie and a participant sharing a hug.]

09/22/2026

A refreshed Group Fitness schedule is now available for this September and October.

These updates are about more than new class names or times. They’re part of a broader approach to Fitness & Wellness programming, designed to make it easier to understand the purpose behind each class and find movement that supports your goals.

Swipe through to learn more about what’s changing.

[Image: Abilities Centre Group Fitness graphic introducing upcoming changes to the September and October Group Fitness schedule.]

The updated schedule is connected to four Fitness & Wellness pillars.

Each pillar highlights a different way movement can support your health and wellness, making it easier to understand what a class is designed to help you work toward.

[Image: Graphic introducing four Fitness & Wellness pillars: Build Strong, Move Better, Recover and Age Well.]

Build Strong is all about developing strength, power and muscular endurance.

Look for this icon when choosing classes that support your strength goals.

[Image: Build Strong graphic with a flexed arm icon and text highlighting strength, power and muscular endurance.]

Move Better focuses on mobility, flexibility, balance and coordination.

Look for this icon when you want to feel more confident and comfortable in the way you move.

[Image: Move Better graphic with a stretching figure icon and text highlighting mobility, flexibility, balance and coordination.]

Recovery is an important part of staying active.

Recover focuses on mobility, stretching, releasing muscle tension and giving your body time to reset.

[Image: Recover graphic with a circular movement icon and text highlighting mobility, stretching, muscle tension release and recovery.]

Age Well is about supporting movement for the long term.

These classes focus on mobility, balance, everyday function and staying active and independent through every stage of life.

[Image: Age Well graphic with a plant icon and text highlighting mobility, balance, everyday function and staying active and independent.]

Four pillars. One goal: helping you find movement that works for you.

As you explore the new Group Fitness schedule, look for the icons to help guide y

09/21/2026

What a great way to spend a Sunday!

Our Thrive and Therapeutic Recreation (TR) programs held a draw for a chance to win tickets to an Oshawa Generals Hockey Club game, and thanks to a generous ticket donation from Mini Giants, a group of lucky winners got to spend the evening cheering the team on together.

Everyone who attended had an awesome time cheering on the team. Moments like these remind us of the power of community and connection.

A big thank you to everyone who made this possible!

[Image 1: Two participants seated in stadium suite seats, smiling at the camera.

Image 2: A young woman making a peace sign in the foreground, with a small group smiling behind her.

Image 3: A group selfie of Thrive and TR participants smiling together in a stadium suite.

Image 4: A group photo in a suite room with the Oshawa Generals bear mascot standing among several smiling participants.

Image 5: A selfie of Abilities Centre staff and participants smiling as they sit and watch the game.]

09/18/2026

They've made it to the final. Now let's fill the atrium!

Come cheer on Tamara Steeves and Team Canada as they take on the United States in Saturday's gold medal game at the 2026 IWBF Wheelchair Basketball World Championships.

Date: Saturday, September 19
Start time: 2:30 p.m.
Location: Abilities Centre Atrium

Bring your energy, your Team Canada spirit, and your loudest cheer. Let's watch our athletes bring home the gold!

[Image: Poster for the Abilities Centre's Gold Medal Game Viewing Party. Text: Come cheer on Tamara Steeves and Team Canada! Starting at 2:30 p.m. in the Abilities Centre Atrium. Two circular photos of Tamara Steeves, smiling in a red jacket and playing wheelchair basketball for Team Canada. Below, a team photo of twelve Team Canada wheelchair basketball players lined up on the court, arms linked, one holding a basketball.]

09/17/2026

Walk through our doors, and you'll notice something right away. This building was designed for everyone, not retrofitted for a select few.

We're grateful to CAA for taking the time to feature Abilities Centre and capture the thinking behind what we do here.

A few details worth highlighting:

• The tiling is yellow and blue, chosen deliberately because they're the last two colours most people retain before losing colour vision entirely.

• Door openers use bars instead of buttons, which are far easier to operate for anyone with limited dexterity or who uses a wheelchair.

• Fitness classes aren't "modified" on the spot. Every class is built from the start with multiple ways to participate, so nobody is left improvising on the sidelines.

Our president and CEO, Michael Cvitkovic, puts it best when he says Abilities Centre is "quite literally one of the most accessible buildings in Canada."

Accessibility here isn't an add-on; it's the foundation everything else is built on, and we're thankful to CAA for helping share that story with a wider audience.

Read the full feature: https://digital.caamagazine.com/community-advocacy-2026/the-good-place-sco

Discover how Abilities Centre in Whitby is creating an inclusive space where people of all ages and abilities can learn, exercise, and connect.

09/16/2026

Go, Tamara, go!

Abilities Centre is cheering on our very own Tamara Steeves as she competes for Canada at the IWBF Championships.

A four-time Paralympian and coach of our Abilities Centre Eagles wheelchair basketball team, Tamara has been repping Canada on the world stage since 2012, from London to Rio to Tokyo. Gold at the 2019 Parapan Am Games. Silver in 2023. An undefeated run to qualify for the 2024 Paralympics.

She's one of ours, and we couldn't be prouder.

Good luck, Tamara. We're cheering you on every step of the way.



[Image: Tamara Steeves in a Team Canada jersey reaches for the ball during a wheelchair basketball game.]

09/15/2026

Stay strong. Stay steady. Move with confidence.

The HUR Fall Prevention is a free 12-week program at Abilities Centre is designed to support strength, balance, and confidence in everyday movement.

The program runs from September 29 to December 17, with sessions every Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Interested in joining? Visit abilitiescentre.org to view upcoming sessions and register.

hashtag

[Image: Promotional graphic for the HUR Fall Prevention program at Abilities Centre. The graphic features blue HUR exercise equipment in the background and text highlighting a free 12-week program running from September 29 to December 17, with sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.]

09/14/2026

Ever wondered what it's like to play wheelchair basketball? Now's your chance to find out.

Abilities Centre is hosting a Wheelchair Basketball Try-It Session.

No experience, no equipment, no excuses needed. Just bring your energy and curiosity.

When: Tuesday, September 29, 2026

Time: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: Abilities Centre Whitby, 1 Jim Flaherty St., Whitby, ON L1N 0J2

Open to all ages and abilities, this is all about trying something new, meeting great people, and having fun on the court.

Questions? Reach out to [email protected]

See you there!



[Image: Promotional poster for a Wheelchair Basketball Try-it Night, free and open to all, on September 29 from 6 to 7 p.m. Text sits on a navy blue background with a pink highlight box around "Try-it night." Two circular photos show participants playing wheelchair basketball on an indoor court. A light blue basketball outline is in the bottom left. The Wheelchair Basketball Week and Abilities Centre logos appear at the bottom.]

09/11/2026

Six activities. One goal: making sure everyone gets to play. Swipe through to see what's happening at Abilities Centre this season.

Wheelchair Rugby — A beginner-friendly intro to the Paralympic sport invented in Canada, in partnership with Wheelchair Rugby Canada.

Wheelchair Basketball (Beginner) — A barrier-free intro to the sport for all abilities, developed with community champion Michael Frogley. All equipment provided.

Eagles Basketball (Intermediate) — For wheelchair basketball athletes ready to take their game further, coached by provincial and national team athletes.

Lacrossing Barriers — Inclusive lacrosse for ages 7+, with modified equipment and flexible rules so everyone can play.

Sportsmania — A new activity every week for kids ages 5 to 12. No experience needed, just energy and curiosity.

HYPE (Healthy Youth Programming for Everyone) — Movement, games, and social time, all in one welcoming space.

Every program is built on the same idea: sport should be accessible to all. Head to our website to learn more: abilitiescentre.org.



Image descriptions are in the first comment due to character limits.