With outdoor recreation maintaining a local focus, Shawnigan’s students have been fortunate enough to benefit from an extensive campus that has afforded recent opportunities for campfire bonding and team-building activities, cross-country running and hiking expeditions.

Recently, Outdoors Coordinator Eric MacDonald has begun to promote mountain biking at the School, with several students working with him during Friday’s SOULo time to maintain some existing trails around campus and turn them into dual use trails, rideable for beginners. “If this is done well we will move onto to create some MTB specific trails that cater to some more advanced riders,” he shares.

In addition, Mr. MacDonald has been also working with the Outdoors sport group to do some trail maintenance on some of the borderline hiking trail. This work involves clearing debris and old wooden structures and re-building bridges.

“We hope to create a good network of trails on campus and promote their use,” he says. “The long-term plan is to have a nice circuit with maps and signs.”

Shawnigan Lake School is adhering to all COVID-19 guidelines released by the BC Ministries of Health and Education, including those regarding learning cohorts, physical distancing and mask-wearing when appropriate.