CF Sherway Gardens Programs Information Package

What to Expect

Expect lots of fun! Participants will enjoy engaging science demonstrations, hands-on activities and more.

Location

All programs will be hosted at the Ontario Science Centre’s Experience space at CF Sherway Gardens, located at 25 The West Mall, Etobicoke.

Hours

Participants should be signed in and out up to 15 minutes before and after their program time. To find the start and finish time for your program, please check the program page or review your confirmation email.

Drop-off and Pick-up Information

Please bring your participant(s) to the Ontario Science Centre Experience space to sign them in for their program. The closest mall entrance is Entrance 6. Free parking is available.

When picking your participant(s) up, please enter the Experience space again to sign them out.

Sign-in and Sign-out Procedures

Participants must be signed in and out before and after the session by their parent/legal guardian or an authorized pick-up person assigned at time of booking. Self-sign privileges will not be available.

Proof of age will be required for 5-year-old participants, as we are unable to accept children under 5 into our care. Please have government-issued proof of age available for your child when you sign in.

All parents/legal guardians, authorized pick-up persons and emergency contacts will be required to present photo ID before participants are released into their care. This ID must match the name provided on the participant’s application. Please provide legal names, not preferred or chosen names (e.g., do not write “Mike” for “Michael”), on the application.

What to Wear

Participants must be dressed comfortably and appropriately. Because the temperature may vary, we recommend bringing a sweater or sweatshirt.

For health and safety reasons, we do not allow participants in any Science Centre programs to wear open-toe shoes, roller shoes or Crocs.

What to Bring

Participants in all programs should bring:

  • A water bottle
  • A sweater/sweatshirt
  • Closed-toe indoor shoes

If your child is 5 years old, please bring:

  • Their birth certificate

Participants registered in a Winter Break Program session should bring:

  • 1 snack
  • 1 drink

Participants should NOT bring:

  • Personal items such as electronics, cellular phones, toys or sports equipment.
  • Cash

There are no lockers available for storage, and participants will not visit the vending machines or restaurants while attending our programs. The Ontario Science Centre cannot be held responsible for lost or damaged goods.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get there?

Please find driving directions, TTC instructions and map links for getting to CF Sherway Gardens here.

What if we need to arrive late or leave early?

If you are running late or need to sign your participant out early, please speak to a staff member upon arrival.

What is the cancellation/refund policy?

For all programs running on Saturdays, cancellations received on or before the Wednesday before your program date, and all modifications, are subject to a $15 administration fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations made after the Wednesday before your program date.

For all Winter Break Program sessions, cancellations received on or before Tuesday, December 24, 2024, and all modifications, are subject to a $15 administration fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations made after Tuesday, December 24, 2024.

Refunds due to medical reasons may be considered if a written request accompanied by a doctor’s note is provided.

Please note that the Ontario Science Centre reserves the right to terminate the registration of any participant if, in the opinion of the manager, it is in the best interest of the participant and/or the group. If the Ontario Science Centre terminates a participant’s registration, a refund will be considered.

How do I change my contact information?

Only a parent/legal guardian can register a participant. This individual (the “Registering Adult”) is the only person permitted to make changes to the participant’s booking and contact information before or during Science Centre Programs.

If you are the registering adult and wish to make changes, including changes to your contact information or to the list of authorized pick-up persons, please contact our Recreational Programs Office with your confirmation number at 416-696-3256 or by by email.

What happens to lost items?

Any lost items will be taken to the CF Sherway Gardens Lost and Found, which can be reached by calling 416-621-1071, ext. 0.

Safety and Security

Participant Care

All Ontario Science Centre programs are delivered by responsible, enthusiastic and caring group leaders with a broad range of expertise and experience working with children in an educational and/or recreational environment. Our diverse staff members include teachers, science educators, and university and high school students with a science or education-related background. All group leaders have valid Vulnerable Sector Screening Checks.

Visitor Access

Ontario Science Centre Experience visitors, including parents/ guardians of participants, are not permitted to enter program rooms or to join in program activities.

First Aid and Medical Intervention

All members of the Ontario Science Centre’s program staff are trained in First Aid and CPR-C.

Ontario Science Centre staff cannot administer medication to participants. If your participant must take medication during program hours, please see a supervisor or your participant’s group leader to discuss options. While we will do our best to remind participants to take their medications, we cannot guarantee this.

Medical and Participant Support

The Ontario Science Centre recognizes the individual needs of participants. To help us accommodate your participant’s individual needs, we recommend that you complete this optional form and provide a copy to your participant’s group leader or a supervisor.

The Science Centre does not provide one-on-one supervision or specific medical support. However, participants with specific needs may have an adult support person accompany them free of charge. Please inform us of your plan to provide a participant with a support person in advance so we may prepare accordingly.

Please do not email personal or private medical information.

Participant Code of Conduct

We expect all participants to respect each other, their group leaders and supervisors, as well as their environment. We also expect that no participants will exhibit behaviour that is harmful to themselves or others.

If a participant does not adhere to our Participant Code of Conduct or behaves in an unsuitable or unsafe manner, we will notify their registering parent/legal guardian. If it becomes necessary to remove the participant, a partial refund will be considered. Violent behaviour or actions jeopardizing the safety of others will not be tolerated.

Participant Code of Conduct

  • Respect fellow participants and group leaders.
  • Treat people the way I would like to be treated.
  • Cooperate with program staff and follow their instructions.
  • Stay with my group, unless I have special permission not to be with them.

More questions? Contact us at 416-696-3256 or by email.