Overview
The Ontario Recreation Facilities Association Inc. (ORFA) was created in 1947 and incorporated in 1951 as a provincially-recognized, not-for-profit, volunteer-driven recreation organization.
Today, the ORFA has over 7,200 members who operate and manage recreation facilities in municipalities, educational institutions, government agencies, First Nations communities and in the private recreation sector. Members also include businesses and industries that support the recreation sector .
Member Services
The Association provides a variety of products and services to its members including:
- professional development activities
- access to a recreation Resource Centre
- formal recognition through a professional designation program
- trade shows and exhibits
- online job board
- e-news communications
- publications and resource information
Vision
To be the leader in the recreation facility profession.
Mission
To provide leadership in the development and delivery of innovative training and education programs, value-added services, and quality products for the benefit of the recreation facility profession.
We Value
- Expertise in the recreation facility profession that comes from personal and organizational development
- Dedication to the professional, efficient and competent operation of recreation facilities
- Communication with our members
- Products and services that are responsive to membership needs
- Results based on business-centred principles
We Believe In
- Serving our members
- Strategic partnerships/alliances
- Advancement of the recreation facility profession
- Promoting safe, clean, sustainable, efficient and accessible recreation facilities
- Information management being the core activity of the Association
- Being an essential part of the recreation experience
- Building community
Core Business
Our core business is the research and dissemination of information that has value to the recreation facilities profession.
Goals
- Strategic Alliances - Review existing agreements to reconfirm value, as well as establishing new mutually beneficial alliances with similarly positioned organizations that furthers our core business and creates positive net results.
- Membership Services - Promote the value of membership in the ORFA to retain the existing members and broaden representation from other sectors.
- Marketing and Communication - Collect, create and distribute information and resources to keep our members and professionals in the broader facilities sector informed. Reinforcing the ORFA brand in all marketing and communications.
- Professional Development and Recognition - Review, develop and deliver professional development opportunities that are linked to professional designations and that increase the effectiveness of professionals in the recreation facility profession.
- Research and Development - Explore innovative initiatives to ensure ORFA offers leading products and services to meet or exceed sector needs.
