Bentway PA Day Camp

Turn your PA Day into an urban adventure at The Bentway! Designed for kids ages 8–14 (grades 3–8), this hands-on camp combines outdoor exploration, photography, creative storytelling, and design challenges. Discover Toronto’s urban landscape, explore public spaces, and imagine the future of city life through creativity, collaboration, and discovery.

What makes a city a great place to live, play, and spend time together? At The Bentway’s new PA Day Camp, students in grades 3-8 (ages 8–14) can explore this question through a full day of outdoor discovery, creative challenges, and hands-on activities. 

From exploring the history of the Gardiner Expressway to discovering the plants, places, and people that make our neighbourhood unique, participants will investigate how cities work—and how we can make them better for everyone. 

Through photography, creative storytelling, outdoor exploration, games, and design challenges, young urbanists will look at familiar spaces in new ways, share their ideas, and imagine what the public spaces of the future could look like. 

What will students do? 

• Explore The Bentway: Take a guided walking tour to discover how the space beneath the Gardiner Expressway has been transformed into a vibrant public gathering place. 
• See the city differently: Investigate the surrounding neighbourhood and local environment and discover how existing city infrastructure can be used in new ways. 
• Put ideas into action: Try creative activities like photography, observation exercises, and design challenges to explore what makes public spaces welcoming, accessible, and fun. 
• Imagine what’s possible: Work on a creative project that brings their vision for a future public space to life. 

By the end of the day, participants will have new ways of looking at their city, a chance to share their ideas, and a creative project inspired by the places and communities around them.

What you need to know:

• Suitable for youth ages 8-14. Note: Participants will be organized in more specific age groups depending on the activity and final enrolment (i.e., ages 8-10, and ages 11-14). 
• This is a full-day program held across The Bentway sites, including outdoor activities and walking tours. Please ensure your child is dressed for the elements and in suitable footwear. 
• Accessible and all-gender washrooms are available on-site.  
• Care-givers must provide lunch and snacks for participants. Please note: The Bentway Studio is a peanut/nut-sensitive facility. For the safety of all our participants and staff, please do not send any snacks or lunch items which may contain peanuts, nuts, and all other nut products. 
• All activity materials will be provided.  
• A Participant Intake Packet will be sent following online registration. 
• Extended Care (4-6pm) is available for an additional booking fee of $10.

Schedule

• 8:15am-9am: Early drop off at The Bentway Studio (55 Fort York Blvd)
• 10am-Noon: Program kick-off; Morning activities, including a site walk of The Bentway sites (like Bentway Staging Grounds at 55 Dan Leckie Way, and the Bentway Skate Trail at 250 Fort York Blvd)
  • 11am-11:15am: Snack break 
• Noon-1pm: Lunch break 
• 1pm-3pm: Afternoon activities, including hands-on, creative projects 
  • 2-2:15pm: Break 
• 3-3:45pm: Project share backs and reflection time 
• 3:45-4pm: Program ends 
• 4pm: Pick-up at the Bentway Studio 
• 4-6pm: Extended Care available for an addition fee of $10, registration is required. 

Payment and Cancellation Policy

• Cancellation requests made at least two (2) weeks in advance are eligible for a refund. 
• Cancellation requests made less than two (2) weeks in advance will receive a partial refund of 50% of fees paid. 
• Cancellation requests less than 10 days prior to the start date, or after the start date are not eligible for a refund.