Healthy Communities • YMCA Events
Celebrate Canada's 150th with YMCA LocalMOTION
28 February 2017 - by Julie De Liberato
Did you know the YMCA movement is older than Canada? The YMCA came to Canada in 1851, before Confederation created the country we know today in 1867.
YMCAs were first established in Montreal and Toronto, where railways supported urbanization and industrialization. Railway YMCAs served workers and local communities for a century! Railway YMCAs were built along developing Canadian National and Canadian Pacific railway lines as well in the cities where the railway passed through. These YMCAs provided a “home away from home” for railways workers seeking rest and recreation.
To celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary, YMCAs across Canada are bringing Canadians the LocalMOTION Challenge! LocalMOTION is a way to celebrate Canada and the YMCAs history by getting active within your community and making connections - and you could win amazing prizes!
The YMCA in Canada has been building healthy communities since before confederation so we're excited to be part of the sesquicentennial celebrations," said Peter Dinsdale President & CEO YMCA Canada. "The YMCA LocalMOTION Challenge celebrates our contribution to nation-building by telling the railway YMCA story while offering a fun way for Canadians of all ages and abilities to get active, connect to their communities, and learn new skills."
As we embark on the journey leading up to Canada’s 150th anniversary, we will be sharing our rich railway history along the way and celebrating with events such as YMCA Healthy Kids Day on Sunday, April 30!
Want to win a family trip for 4 on VIA Rail's The Canadian? Register online now at ymca.ca/localmotion to find out more and participate in the YMCA LocalMOTION Challenge!
Here's how it works:
Step 1: Sign up! We’ll send you updates and let you know each challenge.
Step 2: Participate! Complete the challenges within the time limit.
Step 3: Share! Use the hashtags on Instagram or Twitter to show us your completed challenges. You’ll be entered to win the monthly prize.
Step 4: Win! You can win awesome prizes, including a cross-country VIA Rail Trip.
