Where Canada Women’s Rugby trains in Eastern Ontario

Most rugby venues in Eastern Ontario host matches. A smaller number can host training sessions at a competitive level. The two are different operational categories. A match needs a regulation pitch, goalposts, and changerooms. A training facility needs all of that plus the conditions that let a team work on phase play, contact, conditioning, and video review across a multi-day camp.

The rugby training facility supply in Eastern Ontario is thin. Most clubs end up training at their home grounds with whatever the facility allows. National-level training is held wherever the union can secure access — usually a club ground with the right infrastructure that opens its calendar for training camps.

Oakfield Park, in Lanark County, is used as a training facility by Canada Women’s Rugby. The pitches and supporting infrastructure are maintained to the standard that decision implies.

What a rugby training facility actually requires

The infrastructure differences between a match venue and a training facility come down to capacity for sustained, intensive use rather than one-off events.

• Multiple pitches. Training rotates between full pitch work, half-pitch drills, and specialist work (lineout grids, scrum machines, contact pads). A single pitch limits what a session can cover. Multiple pitches let positional groups train in parallel.
• Maintained surface quality. Training sessions involve more contact per hour than a match. The surface takes more wear in a 90-minute session than it does in a 70-minute game. Pitches that hold up to training have aeration and reseeding programmes most match venues skip.
• Changerooms for multiple teams or groups. A training camp often involves two squads or a national team with development players present. Single-changeroom facilities don’t accommodate this.
• Indoor space for video review, meetings, and rain contingency. Training camps spend more time in classroom mode than match days do. A facility with a clubhouse or meeting room handles this without hauling equipment to a separate location.
• Catering capacity for multi-day camps. Players eat substantial meals. A facility that can produce three meals a day for 30 to 50 people for three or four days takes a major logistics problem off the team manager.
• Accommodation nearby or arrangements with hotels in range. Training camps run multi-day. Players need to sleep within reasonable distance of the pitch.

The combination matters. A single pitch with good catering is a match venue. Three pitches with one washroom is an undeveloped facility. A complete training facility has all of the above operating together.

Why the credential matters for other users

National-team use of a facility says something specific about the facility’s standard. Decisions about training-camp locations are made by performance staff who evaluate facilities against a checklist before booking. A facility that hosts Canada Women’s Rugby has cleared that checklist.

For other users — club teams, university sides, high-school programmes, summer camps — this matters in two ways.

The infrastructure is more than the user actually needs. A club session at a facility built to host national-level training has more pitch options, better turf, better changerooms, and better catering than the club would have access to at most other venues. The facility doesn’t scale down its standard for smaller users.

The operational discipline transfers. A facility that runs national camps knows how to handle the logistics of multiple groups, multi-day stays, dietary requirements, video setup, and rain contingencies. That know-how shows up when a club books for a single Saturday or a regional tournament.

What this means for club and youth training

Club teams and youth programmes in Eastern Ontario book Oakfield Park for training in three main configurations:

Single training session. One pitch, 90 minutes to two hours, with changeroom access. Used by clubs based outside the area travelling in for a session, or local clubs running specialist work that needs a better surface than their home ground.

Training camp. Multi-day, usually a Friday-to-Sunday weekend, with multiple pitches in use, catering, and either day-tripping or overnight accommodation. Used by club seniors prepping for a season, university teams during pre-season, and provincial development squads.

Youth rugby camps. Day camps and overnight camps for young players. The Lanark Rugby Association runs its own youth programmes at the venue; external organisations also book the facility for camp weeks. Read about the rugby programme at Oakfield Park.

Frequently asked questions

Where does Canada Women’s Rugby train in Eastern Ontario?

Canada Women’s Rugby uses Oakfield Park, in Lanark County roughly an hour west of Ottawa, as a training facility. The venue’s four pitches and supporting infrastructure meet the standard required for national-team training camps. The same facility is available to club teams, university programmes, school groups, and youth camps when not in use for national training.

What makes a rugby training facility different from a match venue?

Match venues need a regulation pitch and supporting infrastructure for a single 70-minute event. Training facilities need multiple pitches (for parallel group work), a higher-grade maintained surface (training causes more wear than a match), enough changerooms for multiple groups, indoor space for video and meetings, catering for multi-day camps, and accommodation arrangements for overnight stays. The full combination is uncommon in Eastern Ontario.

Can club teams book Oakfield Park for training?

Yes. The facility is available to club teams, university and high-school programmes, and youth groups for single training sessions, weekend training camps, or multi-day intensive sessions. Pricing varies by configuration: single-session pitch rental, camp packages that include catering and clubhouse access, or tournament-style multi-pitch rentals. Bookings should be made through the venue directly.

Does Oakfield Park host youth rugby camps?

Yes. The Lanark Rugby Association runs youth rugby and leadership development programmes at the venue, funded by commercial booking revenue. The facility also hosts youth camps run by external organisations, particularly during summer when the pitches and supporting infrastructure are available for sustained use. Camp organisers can book the venue directly.

Booking training time

If your club, school, or programme is looking for training time on a facility used by Canada Women’s Rugby, the booking process starts with a conversation about dates, group size, and what the session needs. Enquire about pitch and training rental at Oakfield Park.