Program Overview and Analysis

The City of Ontario currently provides a wide variety of recreation classes and programs. The City purposefully seeks to make participation affordable and financially accessible for all residents. Six City-owned centers are home to City-operated programs. City-owned Veterans Memorial Community Center is leased and operated by West End YMCA. Programs at non-City owned locations are offered through the City by the means of contracted services. In the case of contracted services, the City typically receives 35 percent of the fee and the contractor receives 65 percent of the fee.

Ontario Living Magazine is the Agency’s seasonal catalog of program, activity, and event offerings. The guide is published four times a year and costs approximately $130,000 annually to print and distribute to households and businesses. While program and activity offerings vary seasonally, the Agency catalogs programs in the following categories: » Arts & Crafts Classes » Dance & Exercise » Special Interest Classes/Excursions » Tiny Tots » Tot Classes » Sports Classes » Adult Sports » Youth Sports » Adaptive Program » Community Centers » Aquatics » Teen Scene » Senior Center » Library Events » Museum Exhibits & Programs » Arts & Culture Events » Community Events While these programs are laid out in the Ontario Living Magazine using these categories, the Department does not input all programs in their registration software using these categories. According to Civic Rec participation and attendance reports, 2,055 programs requiring registration were offered by the Agency and 18,861 registered participants were served in 2019. Of the 2,055 programs offered, 445 activities were offered at a variety of City facilities and private businesses so no correlation between the lack of registrants and location can be assumed.

Friday Night Dance amassed the highest total of registered participants. While the three registration activities available for Ontario 5K Reindeer Run saw the combined highest total (2,811). Rudolph’s Dash, a short fun run, had 1,693 registrants. Ontario 5K Reindeer Run had 758 teams registered and 360 individuals registered for the 5K event.