For more than a year, the City of Burnaby has made it unnecessary for local children to run away and join the circus.
The parks, recreation and cultural department started its circus program in Burnaby in January 2011.
Last week, the program was given an excellence award by the B.C. Recreation and Parks Association.
"We are honoured to be recognized as innovators in recreation programming for the circus program," Coun. Sav Dhaliwal, chair of the city's parks, recreation and culture commission, said in a press release. "Burnaby is a culturally diverse community, and the circus program introduced children from a variety of cultures and backgrounds to sports programming in our community."
The program, which first ran last year from January to April, included balancing feathers, juggling various objects, plate spinning, using a Rola Bola balancing board, stilts, unicycles and basic acrobatic skills.
The program had two arms - one for children ages seven to nine, and one for those ages 10 to 13 - and ended with a community performance. It was offered again in 2012.
The city partnered with local businesses and organizations to cover the cost of the program for children whose families could not afford the fees, the release stated.
The excellence award was presented to Katy Alkins-Jang, deputy chair of the Burnaby parks, recreation and culture commission, last weekend in Victoria.
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