Several Board positions came up for renewal at this year's AGM, with the elections taking place during ARPA's AGM on Satuday, October 23rd. In total, nine Board positions were filled:

Terry Welsh (President)
Judi Frank (Vice-president)
Susan Laurin (Secretary)
Heather Cowie (Region 1 Member - Greater Calgary Region)
Elaine Betchinski (Region 2 Member - Greater Edmonton Area)
Guy Dudding (Region 4 Member - Central Alberta)
Darrel Melvie (Director-at-Large)
Paul Fereday (Director-at-Large)
Lindsay Romanic (Student Representative)

This year, all positions were elected for one-year terms on account of a new, revitalized governance structure for the ARPA Board of Directors, which was ratified through a special resolution at ARPA's AGM, and is to take effect October 2011.

Additionally, the following Board Members will be returning to complete the second-half of their two-year terms:

Dan Pagely (Treasurer)
John Mulhall (Region 3 Member - Northern Alberta)
Brian Wright (Region 5 Member - Southern Alberta)
Mike Roma (Director-at-Large)
Glenn Jensen (Director-at-Large)

To contact a member of ARPA's Board of Directors, please visit www.arpaonline.ca/contact.html.

ARPA would like to extend its sincere gratitude to Dr. Tim Burton, outgoing President of the Association's Board of Directors.

Tim's involvement with ARPA stretches far back beyond his most recent two-year term as Board President. Even during his busy career at the University of Alberta, he was directly involved with the Association. From 1997 to 1999 he sat on the Association's Awards and Scholarship Committee, contributing his expertise in adjudicating and promoting ARPA's awards.

Since his retirement, Tim has held a variety of positions including a coordinating role with the ARPA's Labour Market strategy from 2004 to 2005 followed by a role as the formal Registrar for the Association's Continuing Professional Learning System for the past number of years.

Having whetted his appetite with these roles he took the plunge in 2007 and was elected to the Board as Vice President. While on the Board he has taken an active role in committees related to advocacy, professional development, governance and ACE Communities oversight. 

Tim also stepped up and played a leading role in ensuring that the recent CPRA reorganization stayed focused and on track. In his latest and most impactful volunteer role with ARPA, Tim has held the position of President for the last two years. He will remain on the ARPA Board in an ex-officio role as Past-President.

Our most sincere thanks to you Tim, and all the best!

The 2010 ARPA Annual Report and 2010-13 Strategic Organizational Plan have now been posted to the ARPA website.

Download the Annual Report here:
www.arpaonline.ca/ao/annual/2010_AnnualReport.pdf

Download the Strategic Plan here:
www.arpaonline.ca/2010-13_ARPA_Strategic_Plan.pdf

Resolutions for the ARPA AGM were solicited throughout the fall, with a final submission deadline of October 23rd for emergent resolutions. Two resolutions were put forth at this year's AGM. 

The first, related to provincial government grants, resolved that:

"ARPA be requested to canvas its municipal members and other allied stakeholders to assess issues, concerns and impacts related to recent provincial government decisions as noted above [see full resolution]; AND stemming from such undertaking, determine the need (and urgency) for any advocacy to the provincial government towards possible alternative measures, as may be warranted."

The second, related to smoke-free parks, resolved that:

"In order to improve the quality of life of Albertans, especially youth, the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association supports policy measures to create smoke-free parks and playgrounds in Alberta."

To obtain a copy of these resolutions in full, please contact ARPA at 780-415-1745 or arpa@arpaonline.ca.

The ARPA acknowledged ten award and scholarship recipients at its 2010 President's Awards Banquet on October 23rd, held in conjunction with the ARPA Annual Conference and Energize Workshop.

This year's award recipients included:

Town of Okotoks - A.V. Pettigrew Award Recipient

A.V. Pettigrew Award
Town of Okotoks

Wild Rose Award
Randy Conrad (Edmonton)

ARPA Merit Award
Kay Kenny (Red Deer)

Parks Excellence Award
Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo

Excellence in Youth Development Award
Mayor's Advisory Council on Youth (Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo)

Halladay Memorial Student Award
Karie Hanson (University of Alberta)

AABRD Legacy Award
City of Leduc and Leduc Recreation Centre

AABRD Legacy Award
Vocational & Rehabilitation Research Institute (Calgary)

AABRD Legacy Undergraduate Scholarship
Sara Dettling (University of Alberta)

AABRD Legacy Graduate Scholarship
Krista Hewson (University of Alberta)

Randy Conrad: Wild Rose Award Recipient Profile

With 38 years of dedicated service, Randy Conrad continues to be a mover and shaker in the Recreation and Parks Sector. Through his work as a volunteer and his successful consulting company RC Strategies, he has provided consultation that has improved recreation and parks provision in a multitude of ways. In addition to his professional work, he has volunteered for a number of initiatives, including the Chair of the Recreation for Life Foundation's Recreation Industry Awards of Excellence; ARPA's Parks and Open Space Committee, Conference Committee and Membership Committee; as well as serving as Board member on the Pigeon Lake Watershed Association and Alberta Plastics Recycling Association.

Kay Kenny: ARPA Merit Award Recipient Profile

Kay Kenny is an incredible dynamo in the area of recreation advocacy and works tirelessly through her work and volunteer efforts to buoy the message of recreation as an important component in Alberta communities. In 2001 she was recruited to the ARPA Board and has served as Secretary, President Elect and President, as well as having participated on all of ARPA's major committees. She has an incredible berth of knowledge when it comes to her understanding of the recreation industry, and her experience in working with communities of all sizes, from small towns to large cities which has made her an absolute key figure to the growth and expansion of recreation across Alberta through ARPA.

For more information on ARPA's awards and scholarships, visit www.awards.arpaonline.ca.

Four Albertans were recognized as leaders in developing and delivering recreational programs in their communities with the 2010 provincial Energize Awards.

This year's recipients are:

• Dieter Knobloch of St. Albert (posthumously);
• Dr. Cledwyn Lewis of Clairmont;
• Darcy Powlik of Thorsby; and,
• Rene Schaub of Lac La Biche.

The Alberta government, through the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation (ASRPWF), sponsors the Energize Awards, also known as the Recreation Volunteer Recognition Awards.  Since the awards program began more than 30 years ago, 189 Albertans have been honoured. The awards are presented each year as part of the ARPA's Annual Conference and Energize Workshop.

For more information on the Energize Awards, please visit the ASRPWF website at tpr.alberta.ca/asrpwf/awards/energize/index.asp.

On October 30th, the 16th Edition of the Communities in Bloom National Awards Ceremony took place in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Alberta made a strong showing at the national level this year, with honours going out to the following communities:

National Award Winners
 
Forestburg (1 - 1,000 pop.)
Vermillion (3,001 - 7,500 pop.)
CFB Suffield (Canadian Forces Bases)
 
Outstanding Achievement Awards
 
Pincher Creek - Home Hardware Community Involvement Award
RM of Wood Buffalo - Scott's Turf Builder Turf and Groundcovers Award
Stettler - Canadian Nursery Landscape Association Landscape Award
Edmonton - Communities in Bloom Tidiness Award
Strathcona County - Canadian Lands Company Sustainable Development Award

Communities in Bloom is a Canadian non-profit organization committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through community involvement and the challenge of a national program, with focus on the promotion of green spaces in community settings.

For more information on the National Edition of Communities in Bloom, please visit www.communitiesinbloom.ca.

For more information on Alberta's Provincial Edition of Communities in Bloom, which is coordinated by ARPA, please visit www.cib.arpaonline.ca.

HIGH FIVE® Sport was officially launched in Alberta at the 2010 ARPA Conference in Jasper on October 21st. Our trainers are ready and excited to share this new HIGH FIVE® content! If you are interested in hosting a HIGH FIVE® workshop for your organization, please submit a workshop request here.

For more information about HIGH FIVE® Sport and other HIGH FIVE® workshops, contact Joline Veitch, ARPA Children & Youth Program Coordinator, at 780-638-2915 or jveitch@arpaonline.ca.

A big thank-you also goes out to Dr. Stephen Norris, who did an excellent job opening the HIGH FIVE® Sport pre-conference session in Jasper. His talk addressed a subject of growing popularity - physical literacy.

If you have any questions about physical literacy, contact Rob Meckling, chair of ARPA's Community Sport Development Task Group, at rob.meckling@reddeer.ca.

The Honourable Cindy Ady, Minister of Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation, introduced Bill 29, Alberta Parks Act, into the Legislative Assembly on November 4, 2010.  The Bill can be found on the Legislative Assembly of Alberta website at www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?p=bills_home.

The proposed legislation will allow the ministry to simplify the park classification system for the public and to fulfill commitments made to Albertans in the Plan for Parks.  The ministry is proposing to consolidate and modernize three pieces of existing park legislation into a single Act. 

The proposed legislation would also enable the establishment of:

• a Parks Conservation Foundation, to encourage private donations to provincial parks; and
• a Parks Advisory Council, to provide advice to the Minister.
  

The next steps will involve drafting of the regulations in 2011, and proclamation of the Act and regulations, once all implementation requirements have been completed.  Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation will continue to engage the public during this process.

For more information, please see the official provincial government news release.

Celebrate International Kids at Hope Day on November 23, 2010! The idea behind this celebration is to help attract more attention to a holistic cultural belief that all kids are capable of success, no exceptions!

For information and ideas on how you can participate in the Kids at Hope Day celebration, please visit www.kidsathope.org/who_program.html. 

For more information on the Kids at Hope initiative in Alberta, contact Victoria Molnar at 780-638-2916 or vmolnar@arpaonline.ca.

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The Recreation for Life Foundation's 9th Annual Charity Golf Tournament has officially been scheduled for Monday, June 13th, 2011, and will once again take place at the scenic Derrick Golf and Winter Club in Edmonton. 

The Foundation is also pleased to announce that PCL Construction Leaders has signed on as the tournament's title sponsor this year, and we anticipate yet another successful, sold-out event.

The Texas Scramble-style tournament will kick-off at 11:00 a.m. for brunch and registration, followed by a shotgun start 1:00 p.m., and dinner at 7:00 p.m.  The registration fee is $275 per golfer, $25 to only attend the lunch, or $55 to only attend the dinner.

Stay tuned to www.recreationforlife.org for upcoming information on sponsorship opportunities and registration information.