Did You Know?
"Whether they use recreation & parks or not, a full 98% of Albertans believe the community would be worse off with out them."
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 ARPA Governance and Strategic Plan Review in full-swing
The surveys have gone out, the results are being tabulated, and ARPA's 2009 Governance and Strategic Plan Review process is now well-under way. Professional Environmental Recreation Consultants Ltd. (PERC) has been hard at work conducting this review throughout the spring, with DowneyNorris & Associates Inc. providing support for the communications audit/strategy aspect of the project.
During the most recent phase of the Review process, an intensive strategic planning session took place June 12-13th in Edmonton. The ARPA Board of Directors invited several past Board members, along with other invited Association members and allied stakeholders, to participate in a discussion that will help inform the final recommendations that PERC and DowneyNorris put forth to ARPA later this summer/fall.
Because ARPA has grown exponentially and achieved considerable successes in the time period since its 1999 Organizational Review, the intent of the current planning initiative is to provide a renewed sense of direction, relevancy, and sustainability for the Association over the next five-plus years. The outcomes of the Review will be a new governance and strategic plan and a new communications plan for ARPA. Results will be reported to the membership later this year at ARPA's Annual Conference & Energize Workshop in October.
ARPA would like to thank all of its members who have participated in the Review process through surveys and other mediums to date. For members who would like to provide further comments during the Governance and Strategic Plan Review, please click here to contact a member of the ARPA Board of Directors.
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 Inaugural Lieutenant Governor 's Leadership for Active Communities Award Gala held May 30th
ARPA had the honour and privilege to work with the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta, the Honourable Norman L. Kwong, CM, AOE, to celebrate the outstanding leadership shown by individuals and organizations that has resulted in more active communities throughout Alberta. We extend our congratulations and gratitude to the award recipients and honourable mentions who were recognized on May 30th at the inaugural awards gala at Government House in Edmonton. The following leaders have used their vision, passion, and engagement of others to build more active local communities and, in doing so, enhanced the quality of life of Albertans:
Community Leader of Tomorrow Award
Bryn Lewin (Kitscoty)Honourable Mentions - Jebediah Molcak (Edmonton), Corey Piller (Olds)
Corporate Community Leader Award
Sol Rolingher (Capital Region)
Honourable Mentions - Greg Christenson (Edmonton), Scott McDermott (Sylvan Lake)
Elected Community Leader Award
Greg Krischke (Leduc)
Honourable Mentions - Jeremy Thompson (Medicine Hat), Bryan Anderson (Edmonton)
Group Spirit of Community Leadership Award
Ptarmigan Nordic Ski Club (Fort McMurray)
Honourable Mentions - Calgary Minor Soccer Association, Olds Advisory Group for Sustainable Living
Outstanding Community Leader Award
John Logan (Bonnie Doon, Edmonton)
Honourable Mentions - David Dorward (Edmonton), Wanda Wetterberg (Edmonton)
The breadth of accomplishments of these recipients ranges from development and maintenance of trail networks, to advocating for parkland acquisition and leading multi-municipal/organization initiatives. Their success is consistently linked to trusting relationships and a desire to contribute to their community.
In addition to the noted award recipients and honourable mentions, every award nominee must be congratulated as all could not be recognized this year. Nominators should also be commended - as without them, these selfless community leaders would not have been recognized. Last, we extend recognition to all individuals who support intentional/visionary leaders and their work to create more active communities throughout Alberta!
To view images from the event, or to read the Lieutenant Governor's speech, visit http://www.lieutenantgovernor.ab.ca/active.cfm
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 Recreation for Life Foundation Golf Tournament another huge success!
The 7th Annual Recreation for Life Foundation Golf Tournament, which took place June 15th at the Derrick Golf & Winter Club, was another huge fundraising success for the Recreation for Life Foundation.
The "sold-out" tournament saw 160 golfers compete in one of the provincial recreation industry's most anticipated golf events of the year. The tournament's success was due in large part to more than 120 sponsors who provided support in many forms, including fun hole activities, tasty refreshments on the course, and spectacular prizes. RFLF would like to extend a special thank-you to Sobeys, a long-time supporter of the tournament who served as the Title Sponsor for this year's event.
Thank you to all of the sponsors, players, and volunteers who helped make this year's sold-out tournament a huge success! We look forward to seeing everyone again at next year's tournament.
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| FITS... coming to a community near you this summer
ARPA has hired four regional Database Coordinators this summer to work with community recreation facilities in the collection of information to be used in ARPA's FITS (Facility Inventory Tracker System). Originally launched in 2006, FITS is being reintroduced as an enhanced system that includes, as examples, modules on: renovations, user demographics, finance, lifecycle planning, personnel wages, joint-use and cost-sharing agreements, nutrition, rentals, user fees, and field of play information.
The purpose of this data collection is to establish a database for the purposes of analyzing trends pertaining to Alberta's community recreation facilities including, but not limited to::
- Age of recreation facilities and extent of major capital renovations
- Rising costs of utilities and impacts on facility operating budgets
- Wage and fee comparisons amongst facilities
- Availability and location of community recreation facilities, and ability to meet the needs of the changing demographics
- Assessment of the ability to host various levels of competitions in communities across Alberta (a component of sport and recreation tourism)
- Existence of cost-sharing and joint-use agreements between municipalities and with school boards
To learn more about FITS, or to arrange for a facility visit, please contact Denise Gariépy at dgariepy@arpaonline.ca or 780-644-1779. |
| 2009 ARPA Conference and Energize Workshop - Weaving Values∞Spirit of Place
 Planning for the 2009 ARPA Conference and Energize Workshop, to take place October 29th-31st at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, is now well underway. With the educational and social portions of the Conference and Workshop now almost complete, the Organizing Committee would like to give you a sneak peek into some of the highlights. The theme of WEAVING VALUES∞SPIRIT OF PLACE explores how the connections within a community, whether between organizations, individuals, or the land, can be the key to developing strong, sustainable communities. Balancing the values of individual needs, community well-being, and sustainability is often a challenge, but striving to provide places and spaces that foster opportunities to re-create the human spirit remains at the core of our work.
Keynote Presentations include:
- Opening Keynote - Jennifer James - Cultural Intelligence - Telling the New Story
- Closing Keynote - Paul Huschilt - Seven Humour Habits for Workplace Wellness
Program Highlights include:- Kids at Hope with Rick Miller
- An Innovative Approach to Great Neighbourhoods with Stephane LaBonne and Kathy Barnhart
- Trends that Matter with Ken Balmer and Brenda Clark
- The Art of Building People Up with Rick Matishak
- Active Session on Geo-caching
- And many, many more great sessions...
Social Program Highlights include:
- Loose Moose Theatre Sports
- Mask-erade Halloween Dance
- ARPA Trade Show
Visit www.2009.arpaonline.ca for additional program and accommodation reservation details. The full program brochure and online registration should be available by early July. |
| Community Sport Development Task Group
Canadian Sport for Life (CS4L) focuses on getting everyone in the physical activity system on the same page. Because many different institutions, agencies, and groups are involved in delivering sports and physical activity programs, CS4L recommends that parents, teachers, schools, coaches, clubs, recreation centres and governments coordinate their efforts for the greatest welfare of the participants in their programs.
ARPA's Community Sport Development Task Group, in collaboration with ATPR / ASRPWF, is working to determine the most promising ways recreation and parks departments can facilitate and advance 'sport for life' at the community level through the development of a Municipal Sport for Life Strategy. The preliminary findings of the Task Group will be shared at the upcoming ARPA Conference in October.
For more information on the Community Sport Development Task Group, please contact Denise Gariépy at dgariepy@arpaonline.ca or 780-644-1779.
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 It's not too late to register as a "Champion" of June Recreation & Parks Month
Congratulations to the 50 "Champions" of Recreation and Park Month who have registered so far! For those who have not yet registered, it's not too late to become a 2009 Champion of the Recreation and Parks Month Charter. Click here to sign the charter, become a partner organization, or promote your June events. Upon registration, you will be entered into a draw for our inaugural limited edition Bobble Head awards!
Be sure to submit events your community is hosting in June to the online calendar, and you will receive goodies to hand out at your event. Also, visit the June is Recreation and Parks  Month website to download a nature activity passport that children can complete in their own community with their parents, friends, classmates, or at day camps. Complete nine of twelve activities and submit your information by email to vposchadel@arpaonline.ca to be entered to win a great outdoor prize - one of two electric bicycles!
Poster-sized June calendars are available online with ideas for celebrating June is Recreation and Parks Month every day. Additionally, the June is Recreation and Parks Month toolkit is full of ideas and helpful tips to bring attention to the benefits and importance of recreation and parks.
Please take advantage of this great opportunity to celebrate the benefits and importance of recreation and parks to the quality of life in Alberta! If you have any questions please contact Heather O'Hearn at 780-644-8440, hohearn@arpaonline.ca, or Victoria Poschadel at vposchadel@arpaonline.ca or 780-638-2916. |
Active Healthy Kids Canada 2009 Report Card recently released
Active Healthy Kids Canada released its Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth on June 2nd. This report card marks the fifth annual overview of the many factors impacting the poor state of physical activity on the part of children and youth in the country, and makes concrete recommendations on how to address them from all levels of government to right in your own backyard. The report is also a powerful tool for advocacy and is a concise, easy to read view of what's new in children and youth health research.
Active Healthy Kids Canada is a national
organization with a passionate, informed voice providing direction to
policy-makers and the public on how to increase, and effectively
allocate, resources and attention toward physical activity for Canadian
children and youth.
For more information or to download a copy of the report, please visit www.activehealthykids.ca. |
 Sogo Updates
Alberta Team Torchbearers Announced
Through their participation in Sogo Active, two Alberta groups have been awarded Team Torchbearer positions for the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay. Youth Ambassadors for Prevention and Promotion (YAPP) from Spruce Grove and Sogo Calgary will each have the opportunity to have a group of 17-20 youth carry the Olympic Flame for a 1km leg of the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay!
YAPP is a diabetes prevention program provided to Aboriginal/Métis students in the Tri-Community area. Sogo Calgary welcomes youth from City of Calgary Recreation, City of Calgary Community and Neighborhood Services, Child and Youth Friendly Calgary, Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary and Calgary YMCA, ACE Communities, and Communities ChooseWell to come together to enhance their leadership skills while participating in physical activity.
For more information on Team Torchbearers click here.
Sogo Active Torch Relay Bus
Coca-Cola
has paired up with Sogo Active to get everyone, especially kids and
youth, excited about the Olympic Torch Relay and being active. In
doing so, they created the Sogo Carry the Flame Tour
and sent out a team to travel by RV to 26 cities across Canada. The RV
serves as an educational bus and has past torches from past Olympic
Games inside among other fun and exciting activities.
In early
May, the Edmonton Sogo Active youth group planned and hosted an event
in conjunction with the Sogo Olympic Torch bus tour visit. Highlights from the opening ceremonies of the Sogo Active youth week included an appearance by a local athlete, crowds of enthusiastic well-wishers, and a great time had by all who checked out the Sogo Active bus.
For more information on SOGO Active check out the website at www.sogoactive.com
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| Fort Saskatchewan planning STUFF YOUth Conference, November 9-10
The City of Fort Saskatchewan is planning a fall youth conference scheduled for November 9-10th, which will be centred around the typical youth response to just about any question - "STUFF." What did you do today? - Stuff. What did you learn? - Stuff. If asked at the upcoming STUFF YOUth conference, they will be telling the truth.
The 2009 STUFF YOUth Conference is designed to maintain and enhance a sense of community belonging for youth by encouraging their participation and ownership in the planning, development, and implementation of Fort Saskatchewan's community recreational and cultural programs and services.
The planning committee is currently in the early stages of exploring a webcast component for the keynote speakers, and would like to engage any groups who may be interested in making use of the webcast in their community. If you are interested in participating, please contact Jasmine Adams, Community Recreation Coordinator, by June 30th at 780-992-6262 or jadams@fortsask.ca. | |
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