Congratulations to Okotoks for winning the ARPA A.V. Pettigrew Award!!!
The purpose of this award is to recognize communities in Alberta that have contributed the most to improving the quality of life of their citizens through recreation and parks – in areas of programs, services, facilities, parks and open spaces, or a combination thereof.
ARPA inaugurated this award in 1972 in honour of Albert (Bert) Victor Pettigrew. Known to many in Alberta and Western Canada as “Mr. Recreation”, Bert retired from the Edmonton Parks and Recreation Department after 26 years of devoted service to Edmonton citizens. He was a founding and charter member of the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association, and was dedicated to serving the people of Alberta through his profession.
Award Recipient: Town of Okotoks
“A small town feel with a quality of life” is the motto of the town of Okotoks. This motto has led the community service staff, town council and their residents to introduce programs, and events in and around Okotoks to provide a quality of life that allows for leisure learning, recreational activities, and community-based events that cater to a variety of interests.
The programs offered provide a sustainable option to community members and are a primary vehicle for community building and promoting health and wellness in the community. The wide variety of programs offered to all demographic groups enable residents to experience local programs without a commute to larger centres such as Calgary. Okotokians can live, work and play at home! The development of a Cultural Master Plan, Outdoor Facilities Master Plan, and Outdoor Spaces Plan and facility redevelopment has lead the town of Okotoks to build and provide the necessary infrastructure needed to sustain their population goal of 30,000 by 2030.
The challenge of keeping up with demand has resulted in creative, out-of-the-box program development that utilizes and maximizes the town-owned facilities, in addition to creating partnerships with local businesses. The growth of programs offered and numbers of individuals participating in these programs has doubled between 2005 and 2009.
The town of Okotoks has succeeded in introducing new energy technologies such as solar panels that heat the swimming pools, domestic hot water and ice resurfacing, and a solar wall which pre-heats the air in the Okotoks Recreation Centre.
The town of Okotoks is an outdoor place located in proximity to mountains, prairies, forests, wildlife, and historic and cultural attractions, filled with a team of people who have succeeded in connecting service, youth groups, sport organizations, seniors clubs, social agencies, and parent groups together, which in turn has injected the sense of spirit so important in the evolution of a community in the heart of foothills country.
The town of Okotoks is a deserving recipient of the A.V. Pettigrew Award in recognition of its forward thinking and planning to provide top quality recreation opportunities while still maintaining green policies and a culture of community pride.
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