The Village by the Arboretum is an energetic community with a wide range of activities underway throughout the year. All activities are initiated, organized and run by Village residents.

Some of these are seasonal however there are enough activities through the year to provide residents with all kinds of options. The following is a brief description of the just some of our activities.

CRAFT groups are popular in the Village.

The traditional Quilting club is a self-help group sharing knowledge, talent, and techniques. Classes are provided as required and trips are made to nearby quilt shops and shows.

We have a Broidery group who use needle and thread to create wonderful patterns on various materials.

Another group practices Bunka, a form of Japanese embroidery, sometimes described as painting with threads.

The Needle Crafts group meets to knit, crochet and do other handicrafts. The group meets weekly to share ideas and create crafts such as quilts, shawls, mittens, scarfs, slippers, blankets which are donated to the General Hospital, Sister Christine's Drop-in Centre, the Police Department and other organizations in the community of Guelph.

The Art group is a social painting get-together for beginners and advanced artists. Instruction is provided.

HOBBY groups are well developed in the VBA.

Formed in the fall of 2001, the Wood Carving group brings together Village residents interested in the craft of wood carving. Members' experience ranges from none to extensive.

Village Model Hobby Club began originally as a model railway interest group meeting monthly in members homes. It has now expanded to include all other types of hobby interests in the village.

Several EXERCISE activities are available to Village residents.

S.M.A.R.T. (Seniors Maintaining Active Roles Together) Exercise sessions are led by VON staff, Certified Fitness Instructors, PTA, PSW, Kinesiologists who have received specialized training to deliver safe physical activities for healthy aging.

In addition, villagers can participate in Tai Chi and Yoga, both activities are non-competitive with participants working at their own pace and within the limitations of their body.



Aqua Fit classes are held in the Village Centre pool three times per week. Both High Impact and Low Impact classes are available.

CARD GROUPS meet regularly in the Village Centre.

Duplicate Bridge is played two ways; where partners are allocated to a table by random number, and where players bring a partner and play with them all evening. Social Bridge is played where players are assigned to a table with three other players. No Stress Bridge is available for players who wish to socialize and play fun bridge.

The Euchre Club was one of the first clubs formed in the VBA, and it is still very popular offering regular and no stress versions of the game.

The Poker Group is made up of VBA poker enthusiasts with experience ranging from near-beginners to more advanced players.

Village residents have access to a wide range of SPORTS and GAMES.

Indoor court activities include Badminton and Pickleball which are played on the three courts in the Village Hall.

The Table Tennis club is active during the fall and winter months, as is indoor Shuffleboard..

The Village has a very active Tennis Club. The club organizes fun days and round robin competition, social Barbecues,and occasional competitive tournaments.

Other outdoor activities include Shuffleboard and Bocce.

Golf - Golf-around is a group of VBA men who golf at various 18-hole championship (regulation-size) courses within a 40 minute drive of the VBA. There is also an organized Tuesday mens group, as well as several womens groups.


Billiards, for both Men's and Women's is proving a popular year-round activity.

Ten Pin Bowling is enjoyed by Villagers through the Fall and Winter months.

The Hiking Club is designed to encourage social interaction while enjoying physical activity in Guelph's beautiful outdoors.

Opportunities for EDUCATION abound in the Village.

A well stocked Library, located in the Village Centre, consists entirely of books donated by residents, except for a few books that were purchased for reference purposes. There is also a Book Club that meets regularly for discussions on various editions. Residents can borrow books or spend time in the quietness of the Reading Room.

Cafe Philo is a group of opinionated individuals who hold round-table discussions on anything from pot to politics, from education to extra-terrestrials.
The Learning Together Group has as its present purpose to view and listen to recorded lectures by Professor Sam Wang of Princeton University in a course entitled "The Neuroscience of Everyday Life".

SOCIAL activities are popular with VBA residents.

A Card Party, held on the third Friday of each month, provides residents with an opportunity to play cards and to socialize with neighbours and friends. Similarly on Games Night, residents can play Scrabble, Shanghai Rummy, and Rummy Cube, or any other game they choose to bring.

Coffee Hour, held on the second Wednesday of each month, is an informal gathering which provides an opportunity for Villagers to meet neighbours and get information on upcoming events and activities.

Luncheons are arranged for most months and are held in restaurants in Guelph and in the surrounding area. Periodically the luncheon is combined with another event such as a visit to a special attraction or to a theatre.

The Village Red Hat Society frequently take trips to various attractions in southern Ontario.

All residents are welcome to join any of the DANCE activities available in the Village.

Residents can have fun and exercise learning how to Line Dance. Beginners are encouraged and participants find Line Dancing an excellent opportunity to socialize with friends and meet new neighbours.

The Social Dance Group invites all Village residents to dance on the finest (sprung) dance floor in Guelph. The group is arranging for dance lessons and is planning for weekly dance practices. They are also planning to continue a Village tradition of the Big Dance Parties.

Residents can participate in Square Dancing which is good physical and mental exercise and is also very sociable.

Tap Dancing classes available to Village residents cover basic tap steps leading into easy and more intricate routines. No tap dancing experience is required to join the group. Classes are fun, educational, and provide good exercise. 

ENTERTAINMENT

The Theatre Group has been very active in the Village from the early days of the Village Centre. The Group encourages Village residents to participate in theatrical events, both on stage and back stage, for the entertainment of residents and their guests. They present a variety of performances which include: plays, the popular Cabaret Nights and the "Sunday at 3" concerts.

Members include Villagers with an interest in acting, dancing and singing, as well as those who provide lighting, sound, make-up and other stagecraft services. Any resident may join the Theatre Group.

The VBA Film Society meets bi-monthly except during summer months. Selected by committee, the films are chosen to entertain VBA residents.

The Village Singers, an enthusiastic group of approximately 45 choristers, love to sing for their own enjoyment and have entertained inside and outside the Village ever since they began. They have a two semester season with a fall session from September to December and a spring session from March to mid June. Concerts are presented at the end of each session with one for the Village residents and several for the community, which have included appearances at River Run with other local choirs, as well as performances at various churches in and around Guelph. Their repertoir includes show tunes, traditional and folk songs, along with Christmas Carols at yuletide. New members are welcome at the start of either session.

The Village Band is made up of residents who have some knowledge of a particular instrument and are interested in making music!

A relatively new activity is the Opera@VBA who meet to watch operas on DVD and then join in a general discussion.

There are a number of musical groups such as Backstage Boys, Dixieland Band, Easy Listening Combo, Elderly Brothers, Lady and the Gramps, Underground Music and Lynn Irish and Friends who regularly entertain Villagers with a wide variety of music genres.

Several musical activity groups that Villagers may participate with include The Village Harpeggios, The Uke Pals and Dulcimer Strummers who meet to learn to play their instrument and, occasionally, will give a public performance.