The recent ARPA Provincial Forum, which took place January 21-22 in Edmonton, saw a broad cross-section of stakeholders convene to discuss key initiatives and milestone events for the Association in 2011.

Over the course of the two days, ARPA Board Members, Past Presidents, Committee Chairs, staff members, and other invited stakeholders participated in discussions focused on key issues and program areas for ARPA, including the National Recreation Summit, the Norman Kwong Centre for Community Recreation Excellence, and municipal sustainability planning, amongst others.

Forum participants also attended several presentations during the Forum, which included key learning from the ACE Communities initiative; an update on the ACTIVE ALBERTA POLICY from Tim Moorhouse, Assistant Deputy Minister of Recreation and Sport Development for Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation; and also an update on status of ARPA's Service Excellence program.

Representatives from the Service Excellence Advisory Team (SEAT) were pleased to report that they received an excellent response to their call for Panel participants to help evaluate the 5 Modules of the Service Excellence Framework throughout the first half of 2011, with the first round of surveys deployed to participants on January 25th.

ARPA would like to extend a sincere thank-you to all who participated or presented during this year's Provincial Forum. Your feedback is appreciated and will be essential in helping the Association set/maintain the strategic direction for all of the workshopped initiatives and events.

ARPA is pleased to announce that registration for the 2011 Parks Forum has now opened online. The 2011 Parks Forum will take place March 10-12th at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Centre, in Canmore, Alberta.

The theme for this year's Parks Forum is Parks, Landscapes & Open Spaces - A LIFETIME of EXPERIENCES. Further information on related keynotes and sessions may be found in the Parks Forum brochure.

Register online for the Parks Forum at:
www.regonline.ca/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=934325

For more information on the 2011 Parks Forum, please visit http://arpaonline.ca/events/parks-forum.

ARPA is excited to announce that it has just launched Facebook and Twitter pages for the Association. We're looking forward to connecting with our members and allied stakeholders, so please pay us a visit:

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Alberta-Recreation-and-Parks-Association-ARPA/133435447359

On Twitter: @arpaonline

While you're on Twitter, also be sure to check out @aceupdate for ACE Communities tweets.

ARPA kicked off the New Year by welcoming four new staff members to the team...

Lisa Tink - Manager, Children & Youth Programs

Lisa has a B.Sc. in Kinesiology and is defending her MA thesis this summer. As a graduate student at the U of A Lisa has conducted research surrounding youth development through sport and physical activity since 2006, and has been involved in teaching physical activity classes at the undergraduate level.
 
She has an extensive list of volunteer experience which includes the names of various non-profit and recreation organizations including: KidSport Alberta, Boys and Girls Club, County of Grande Prairie, Roots of Empathy, and Snow Valley Ski Resort.

Contact Lisa at ltink@arpaonline.ca.

Damien Traverse - Manager, Communities ChooseWell

Damien Traverse is incredibly proud to be joining the ARPA as Manager of Communities ChooseWell.  As a former ARPA member and Community ChooseWell leader, Damien values the program and is excited to be in a position to help Communities ChooseWell succeed. 

Damien has a BPE from the U of A and multiple years of experience working across Alberta.

Contact Damien at dtraverse@arpaonline.ca.

Lisa McLaughlin - Program Officer, Communities ChooseWell

Since earning a BA (Psychology) from the University of Alberta, Lisa's interests in health promotion and community development have led her to work on provincial health initiatives with Alberta Health and Wellness, most recently improving children's physical activity and healthy eating habits through the Alberta Project Promoting active Living and healthy Eating (APPLE Schools).

She has also volunteered with the Canadian Diabetes Association and her local Community Health Council in the former Alberta Health Services - Capital Health Region. Lisa is excited to have the opportunity to help build healthier Alberta communities through her new role with Communities ChooseWell.

Contact Lisa at lmclaughlin@arpaonline.ca.

Brenda Hanson - Event Planner

Brenda Hanson recently joined ARPA on a part-time basis as the Event Planner. Her recent experience includes recreation and events programming with Strathcona County as well as booking and events coordinating at Millennium Place.

In the time between raising her two-year-old twins and working, she is completing her Masters in Community Development.

Contact Brenda at bhanson@arpaonline.ca.

Do you know an individual or group who has made a transformative difference in their community through active living? Help us recognize these achievements by nominating them for one of the Lieutenant Governor's Leadership for Active Communities Awards this year.

The nomination deadline is March 25, 2011.

The biennial Lieutenant Governor's Leadership for Active Communities Award program recognizes the achievements of the individuals and groups that are leading their communities in strategic change that results in increased citizen engagement and high levels of participation in recreation, sport, and active living leading to healthier people and communities.

This year's awards gala will take place May 26, 2011 in Edmonton at the TELUS World of Science.

For more information or to submit a nomination, please visit:
http://arpaonline.ca/lieutenant-governors-awards/

At its upcoming 2011 Symposium in Richmond, BC from May 11-13, BCRPA will host a CPRA National Exchange, which will take place throughout the event and will showcase the initiatives of CPRA and its provincial-territorial association members.

The exchange will provide networking opportunities for practitioners in the field nationally, and engage Symposium delegates in facilitated strategy discussions in four determined areas, namely:

1. Positioning recreation in the children-nature paradigm;
2. Partnering recreation with sport through the Canadian Sport for Life Strategy;
3. Exploring the core and edges of the recreation field and implications for public policy;
4. Examining the role of recreation in the critical after-school hours. 

These discussions will ultimately inform the 2011 National Recreation Summit to be hosted by Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation and ARPA later this year, and will also guide national advocacy and action.

More information on the CPRA National Exchange will be released by BCRPA this month. Please visit their website www.bcrpa.bc.ca for more information as it becomes available.

On February 4, 2011 Cindy Ady, Minister of Tourism, Parks and Recreation (ATPR), announced that she would not re-table an adapted version of Bill 29, the Alberta Parks Act, in the provincial legislature this spring.

In a news release posted on the ATPR website Minister Ady stated, "We need a parks system that continues to benefit all Albertans, and new legislation that serves Albertans' best interests. While I had planned to bring park legislation back this Spring, I will spend the time needed to address the main concerns raised by Albertans before moving forward with new legislation."

The intent of the Alberta Parks Act had been to consolidate three existing pieces of parks legislation. However, debate was suspended in the legistlature on Bill 29 amidst concerns regarding its ability to maintain the ecological integrity of Alberta's parks and protected areas, as well as the discretionary authority provided to the Minister and Cabinet through the new legislation.

Please visit the ATPR website for more information.

Preparations are now well underway for the 2011 National Recreation Summit, which will take place October 23-25, 2011 at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

This invitation-only Summit will bring together a diverse range of invited leaders and experts in recreation and parks development, governmental affairs, and public policy analysis to examine and discuss strategic challenges and opportunities that would enhance the growth and the impact of recreation development services at national, provincial/territorial, and municipal levels.

Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation and ARPA are excited to serve in co-leadership roles on behalf of the Interprovincial Sport and Recreation Council and the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association towards the planning, organizing, and hosting of this vital and first-ever national event.

Stay tuned to ARPA website and the Lifestyle Information Network for more details as they become available.

Have you heard about 10 for 10?

In 2011, the Recreation for Life Foundation is proudly celebrating its 10th year anniversary. To commemorate the Foundation's first decade of success, we have launched the 10 for 10 Anniversary Campaign.

In supporting 10 for 10, your donation of a minimum of $10 per month throughout 2011 will go a long way toward sustaining the vital programs and initiatives overseen by ARPA.

For more information on 10 for 10, or to make a donation to the campaign, please visit www.recreationforlife.org/10for10.html.

It's never too early to start planning your golf season!

The Recreation for Life Foundation's 9th Annual Charity Golf Tournament. is filling up fast! The tournament will take place June 13, 2011 at the Derrick Golf and Winter Club.

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 all inclusive, $25 for those who wish to only attend the lunch, or $55 to only attend the dinner.

Register online or download a PDF registration form today.

For more information or to view a list of tournament sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.golf.recreationforlife.org.

Limited edition art series prints available on the RFLF website

Did you know that the Recreation for Life Foundation has a series of specially-commissioned recreation-themed art prints for sales on its website?

To help celebrate the value of recreation, four Canadian artists were commissioned to create this series of limited edition signed prints, which capture elements of recreation, parks, and play familiar to all Canadians. The prints may be purchased individually, or as a complete set at a reduced price.

Visit the Art Series page on the Foundation website to view samples of the prints, and for ordering information.

Latest Kids at Hope and HIGH FIVE® happenings

Rick Miller visits Alberta for Kids at Hope training

We are pleased to have Rick Miller back in Alberta in February to train future leaders in the Kids at Hope belief system. Rick Miller will be conducting training sessions in the City of Edmonton, Smoky Lake, and Grande Prairie during his visit.

ARPA, in partnership with the Kids at Hope organization, will continue to provide similar training sessions throughout the year, so stay tuned to REConnect for notices of future training opportunities.

If your community is interested in hosting a Hopeology session, or holding an information session about the Kids at Hope philosophy, please contact ARPA at 780-415-1745 to express your interest.

Congratulations to a newly-trained crew of HIGH FIVE® Trainers!

ARPA would also like to extend congratulations to everyone who recently completed the February 2011 "Becoming a HIGH FIVE® Trainer" workshop.

HIGH FIVE® provides a range of training, assessment tools and resources to ensure that organizations and their front-line staff members can deliver the highest quality children recreation programs possible.

If you would like to host a HIGH FIVE® workshop for your staff (e.g. day camp leaders, coaches, swim instructors, etc.), please complete the online workshop request form.

For more information, please contact Joline Veitch, ARPA Coordinator for Children and Youth Programs, 780-638-2915 or jveitch@arpaonline.ca.

Hockey Alberta has introduced a Pond Hockey Program as a new and simple way to participate in the sport. The Pond Hockey Program embraces the concepts of flexibility and family involvement - it is not meant to replace the competitive and recreational programs already offered by Minor Hockey Associations, but rather provide another way for youth to get out of the house, be active, and to play the great game of hockey.

The Pond Hockey Program can be tailored to fit any community's needs. The game can be as simple as getting a few children together every Sunday afternoon to play, or it can be made more complex by forming divisions based on age groups. Pond Hockey often utilizes outdoor ice surfaces, which allows for lower fees and greater accessibility for smaller communities (though it can be played on indoor rinks too).

Hockey Alberta has a toolbox that communities can use to get started with their own Pond Hockey program.  If you would like more information on the Pond Hockey Program, please visit www.hockeyalberta.ca.

Building on the outstanding success of the inaugural Building Leadership Capacity Workshop held in Red Deer in 2010, ARPA will offer three regional Building Leadership Capacity Workshops in 2011.

Online registration is now open for all three workshops:

April 5-6, 2011 - Lethbridge, Alberta
Register: www.regonline.ca/buildingleadershipcapacitycourselethbridge

May 11-12, 2011 - Cardel Place, Calgary, Alberta
Register: www.regonline.ca/buildingleadershipcapacitycoursecardelplacecalgary

May 24-25, 2011 - Grande Prairie, Alberta
Register: www.regonline.ca/buildingleadershipcapacitycoursegrandeprairie

Building Leadership Capacity is a professional development course offered by ARPA. This intensive two-day workshop utilizes the leadership framework of James Kouzes and Barry Posner, authors of "The Leadership Challenge."

The course, delivered by some of ARPA's most respected leaders, has been designed for recreation and parks practitioners in Alberta who are eager to develop the leadership skills necessary to inspire and activate others within their communities, as well as to advance professionally.

Registration Fee:

• $495 (+GST) for ARPA members (member municipalities and organizations)
• $595 (+GST) for non-members

Price includes the cost of all meals and instructional materials, along with a copy of "The Leadership Challenge."

For more information please contact Doug Brimacombe, Senior Liaison, Leadership & Professional Development at doug.brimacombe@ualberta.ca or 780-492-1019.

The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) offers a Canadian Certified Playground Inspector certification program through the Canadian Playground Safety Institute (CPSI). The next offering of the Theory component of the program will be in Calgary April 18-19, with an offering of the Practical course to follow April 20-21.

This training is designed for owner/operators, health inspectors, daycare staff, maintenance/public works staff for schools, municipalities, housing complexes and other areas that contain public playspaces, private inspectors and contractors, manufacturers, installers, parks staff, insurance agents, etc.

Download a copy of the registration form to enroll in the CPSI Theory and/or Practical courses.

Inspectors with recently, or soon to be, expired certifications, can renew by taking a Practical course to brush up on their knowledge and then writing the classroom recertification exam. If you prefer to recertify by writing the online recertification exam, contact cpsi@cpra.ca to obtain a registration form.

If you have questions about these courses or certification, please contact CPSI at cpsi@cpra.ca or 1-877-536-2338, or visit www.cpra.ca.

Ribbon Cutting of the Benefits Hub (with online scavenger hunt)
Date: February 23, 2011

Leisure Education (ACE Communities Webinar)
Date: February 25, 2011
Time: 10:00 a.m. (MST)
Registration Contact: Rose Carmichael (rcarmichael@aceleaders.ca)

Orientation to ACE Communities (ACE Communities Webinar)
Date: March 9, 2011
Time: 10:00 a.m. (MST)
Registration Contact: Rose Carmichael (rcarmichael@aceleaders.ca)

Parks Forum
Date: March 10-12, 2011
Theme: Parks, Landscapes & Open Spaces - A LIFETIME of EXPERIENCES
Location: Radisson Hotel and Conference Centre, Canmore, AB
URL: http://arpaonline.ca/events/parks-forum/

Lieutenant Governor's Leadership for Active Community Awards
Date: May 26, 2011
URL: http://arpaonline.ca/lieutenant-governors-awards/

RFLF 9th Annual Charity Golf Tournament
Date: June 13, 2011
URL: www.golf.recreationforlife.org