Project Description
Accessible nature experiences for people living with disabilities to promote well-being, environmental stewardship, and social inclusion.
Welcome to Cedar Haven
Tucked away just 20 minutes outside of Hamilton, ON, you’ll find a secret retreat where trees reach for the sun’s warmth, wildlife comes out to play, and you live and learn through your senses.
When you step off the bus into lush fields of green, the first thing you’ll notice is how quiet and peaceful it is. The city sirens and traffic noise just fade away…
All you can hear are wildflowers dancing in the breeze and birds chirping as they soar over a sparkling pond, inviting you to explore this little slice of heaven for the next few hours.
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Here’s what you need to know! Take a look at our FAQ for more info.
It’s about more than making nature accessible
It’s an opportunity to explore the beauty of the world around us. It’s an inclusive space to make new friends and find belonging. And it’s an invitation to reconnect with nature and feel rejuvenated.
Session Themes
We offer three ways to experience nature. Choose the one that best suits your group and we’ll do the rest!
Meet Marcello
This Operation Wild participant describes the impact nature has on his life.
FAQ
We continue to follow public health guidelines. If you have questions, please connect with us at cedar.haven@arocha.ca.
- Seasonally appropriate clothing and walking shoes
- Any water, snacks, or lunch required for your day trip
- At least one support worker needs to be in attendance with each group
We are excited to share that as on August 2020, our site is fully accessible as we have installed accessible Grass Mats. If you have any concerns about our site’s accessibility, please contact us at cedar.haven@arocha.ca.
We seek to offer affordable transportation to and from Cedar Haven as required. Please inquire about transportation options to Cedar Haven!
We require each group to attend with at least one support worker. While we are the nature experts, we ask support workers to be the experts of their group and their individual needs. We encourage support staff to fully participate in sessions.
We ask that you bring any water, snacks, and lunch your group requires for the day.
Please give us a call the day of your session if you have concerns about the weather. We are happy to offer programs in the rain as long as we can determine it is safe to do so!
We require a minimum of 5 participants for a group trip and can accommodate up to 12.
Most groups plan to be on the property from 1-3 hours. We understand that groups have different interests and abilities, and are happy to customize your trip to meet your group’s needs.
Operation Wild typically offers both morning and afternoon sessions beginning as early as 9am, and ending as late as 4pm. For groups that need to be back home at a specific time, we’re happy to work around your schedule.
Over the past three years
Operation Wild has led 150 accessible nature experiences for 1475 people living with disabilities. Learn more about this program’s success.
Special Thanks to the City of Hamilton
This project is funded in part by the City of Hamilton. Working in partnership with this funder and our other supporters, Operation Wild is committed to providing accessible services to people with barriers or disabilities, building inclusive and engaged communities, and encouraging others to support a healthy and sustainable environment.
