River Road Nature School

River Road Nature School was founded in 2023 by Carrie and Joshua Loyer.  It is a private school located in Cayuga (Haldimand County), and it is situated on 30 acres of land.  The space is private and serene, offering plenty of access to green space and the Carolinian forest.  The site has been carefully developed to curate an experience that connects children to the wonders of the natural world, and includes hiking trails, natural playgrounds, gardens, animals to care for, and lots of wildlife to observe.

The curriculum offered is guided by the Principles of Forest and Nature School, and is play based, with a focus on eco and social emotional literacy. Programming is not intended to replace formal education, rather to supplement it, with children ages 2-12, attending up to three days per week.

Carrie and Joshua Loyer contacted Grand Erie Business Centre to assist with supporting the initial launch of River Road Nature School.  They were running into barriers with getting the necessary items in place to launch the school and we were able to assist with some advice and support, as well as financing.

Carrie had this to say about her experience with Grand Erie Business Centre.  “Securing business financing through the GEBC was a refreshingly straightforward process compared to the more traditional route of seeking funding from banks. As we maneuver the challenges of being a new, small, family-owned business, the GEBC has consistently offered their support, understanding, and flexibility along the way.  The Community Futures Program has been the perfect fit in assisting us to bring our little nature school to fruition in our rural community.”

With the support of Grand Erie Business Centre, River Road Nature School was able to open their doors in the summer of 2023, by offering camps to the local community.  Fast forward to today, just over a year later, and program enrollment has doubled, and during the summer, some of the camp weeks reached maximum capacity.

River Road Nature School currently offers four (4) unique programs:

– Paw Paw Program (Ages 2-4)

– Juniper Program (Ages 4-6)

– Sassafras Program (Ages 7-12)

– Family Drop In Program

Carrie and Joshua have successfully managed to navigate the first year of business and are currently in the process of hiring more Educators, as demand for all of their programs continues to grow.  For more information on River Road Nature School please visit: https://riverroadnatureschool.com/.  Grand Erie Business Centre could is excited to have been a part of bringing Carrie and Joshua’s dream into reality.