The Frink Centre offers teachers and their classes close to 400 acres of diverse topography and ecosystems that include a class 1 wetland, succession fields, mixed forest, swamps, the Moira River, Park’s Creek, a Drumlin, and man-made pond. Over 13 km of trails including major board walks and bridges provide access to all these areas. The Frink Centre has a good selection of equipment to facilitate studies: dipping nets, microscopes, soil and water testing kits, thermometers, pH metres, meteorological equipment, calipers, measuring tapes, T-squares for transects, etc. Indoor displays, books, videos, and numerous other resources have diversified the natural science programs to include an in-depth geology program, case studies of animals, land stewardship, and map interpretation.

Most recent additions to programs include:

        Being Creative with Items from Nature
        Principles of Wilderness Survival
        Native Studies

The Frink Centre has developed programs which address expectations in the Curriculum as found on the Ontario Ministry of Education's Website (www.edu.gov.on.ca).

Programs developed for Kindergarten through Grade 8 cover the following strands.

•         Life Systems
•         Matter and Materials
•         Energy and Control
•         Structures and Mechanisms
•         Earth Systems
•         Measurement
•         Geometry and Spatial Sense
•         Data Management and Probability
•         Social Studies (Globe and Map Skills, Pioneer Life, Aboriginal Studies)
•         Arts and Crafts
•         Creative Writing
•         Health and Physical Education

All programs tie in with the natural environment; most programs are delivered outside.  Sugar Bush demonstrations now take place at the Frink Centre.  Cross-curricular programs for all levels are available.  Should you wish to bring your class to the Maple Bush for a tour on the natural science, history, and technology of this North American Tradition, watch for a memo to be sent to your school in February or call the Frink Centre at (613)477-2828.

The H. R. Frink Outdoor Education Centre has put considerable effort into expanding programs that address the needs of senior level classes.  With the help of the Friends of the Frink Centre, Quinte Conservation, Geoventure students, and Recreational Leadership students from Loyalist College, the Frink Centre has developed senior level team building and Leadership programs along with Advanced Orienteering and Wilderness survival.  The Centre also provides ideal opportunities which facilitate advanced environmental studies, data collection and management, and mapping transects ( for contour maps).

The Frink Centre is continuing to develop programs that encourage hands-on learning of science, mathematics and art for all grade levels.