History of Highlands Nordic and Highlands Outdoor Education Centre
Highlands Nordic, owned by Larry Sinclair and the Sinclair family, started as a Cross Country Ski Centre located in the Member’s Clubhouse at Duntroon Highlands Golf Club in 1989. Highlands Nordic built its own lodge in 1993 on one hundred acres of Niagara Escarpment property, which is a UNESCO Biosphere reserve. Highlands acquired another 100 acres of property in 2003 and has expanded its ski trails to 23km. By 2013, an additional 7 km of snowshoe only, trails were in use.
Highlands Nordic is not only one of the top Nordic ski centres in Ontario, but now hosts an Outdoor Education Centre, and Highlands Wilderness Day Camp, making Highlands Nordic a well known, year round facility.
Highlands Outdoor Education Centre (also known as HOEC) started as a pond and sensory stroll program for kindergarten students in the year 2000. Over the years, HOEC has expanded to include programs for all elementary grades. HOEC’s programs are based on the Science and Technology, Health and Physical Education, and Social Studies, History and Geography strands of the Ontario Education Curriculum guidelines.
Highlands Outdoor Education Centre is a for-profit program run by Highlands Nordic Inc., which is an Ontario Incorporated Business.