Congratulations to Hinton for the great progress being made on their community garden and greenhouse initiative. Spearheaded by the Hinton Community Garden Society, the project has three goals in place: to increase Hinton’s food security, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and bring the community together in a central hub.
Two greenhouses have been donated by Kinder Morgan canada that will be available to anyone in town to grow their own food, with a small portion of it going back into the community. Along with the grant from ACE Communities, the society was also the recipient of a $22,000 Quality of Life grant from the Town of Hinton earlier this year. More recently, they were a beneficiary of the Skid and Steer Rodeo, held on Sept. 26. The goal is have an outdoor garden planted by the spring of 2010, and to have a public greenhouse ready for planting by 2011.
For more info on this project you can go to: http://www.hintonvoice.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=1&twindow=&mad=&sdetail=186&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=3041&hn=hintonvoice&he=.com
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Ensuring Fees Aren't a Barrier
Paddle Prairie has developed an inventive way of dealing with both declining volunteerism and accessibility to sports like hockey. As part of their intent to ensure fees aren't a barrier, they are allowing family members (not necessarily just parents...) to volunteer their time to reduce registration fees. Because of this, more children have access to sports and Paddle Prairie is better able to keep their facilities maintained.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
ACE Community Leaders Meet
Explore, discern, dig out, unwrap, bring to light, learn about, get wise to, reveal, and sniff out!
What does all this refer to? These words reflect a "Discover" theme where community leaders took two and a half days to learn, discuss, and apply information – about ACE Communities, personal and community leadership, community development, and a multitude of other topics.
At the end of September an ACE Communities Leaders Retreat was held near Sylvan Lake. Over 20 community leaders met one another and members of the ACE Team. This group of leaders are referred to as "Flight 3"- the communities that were recently accepted as partners for two years with ACE Communities to enhance the quality of life in rural Alberta by strengthening community leadership, collaboration, and innovation through recreation, parks, arts, culture and heritage.
Imagine time set aside to learn about community leadership, discuss what is happening in rural Alberta, and have the opportunity to build connections with other community leaders. The "buzz" both during and after the sessions was phenomenal.
Whenever people have the opportunity to share about their communities the results are amazing... exceptional people and exceptional projects.
What does all this refer to? These words reflect a "Discover" theme where community leaders took two and a half days to learn, discuss, and apply information – about ACE Communities, personal and community leadership, community development, and a multitude of other topics.
At the end of September an ACE Communities Leaders Retreat was held near Sylvan Lake. Over 20 community leaders met one another and members of the ACE Team. This group of leaders are referred to as "Flight 3"- the communities that were recently accepted as partners for two years with ACE Communities to enhance the quality of life in rural Alberta by strengthening community leadership, collaboration, and innovation through recreation, parks, arts, culture and heritage.
Imagine time set aside to learn about community leadership, discuss what is happening in rural Alberta, and have the opportunity to build connections with other community leaders. The "buzz" both during and after the sessions was phenomenal.
Whenever people have the opportunity to share about their communities the results are amazing... exceptional people and exceptional projects.
Kitscoty Focuses on a Community Driven MSP
Building a community driven plan involving the grassroots of the community is setting the platform for sustainability in Kitscoty.
Kitscoty has been working with their ACE Coach and Council to ensure their Municipal Sustainability Plan (MSP) is one that engages the community.
A Community Advisory Group is leading the draft development of the MSP with community input. Community groups are an integral part of the process as it is the community groups that help build the capacity of the plan. On-going communication with Council about the process will assist in the implementation of the MSP.
Village Council has passed a motion to have the MSP developed using a community engagement process, which in turn will have the community more involved while building a plan to meet the needs of present and future residents.
Such a community plan will build leaders because residents will feel a part of their community and have opportunities to share in a community wide vision to make Kitscoty more active, creative, and engaged.
Kitscoty has been working with their ACE Coach and Council to ensure their Municipal Sustainability Plan (MSP) is one that engages the community.
A Community Advisory Group is leading the draft development of the MSP with community input. Community groups are an integral part of the process as it is the community groups that help build the capacity of the plan. On-going communication with Council about the process will assist in the implementation of the MSP.
Village Council has passed a motion to have the MSP developed using a community engagement process, which in turn will have the community more involved while building a plan to meet the needs of present and future residents.
Such a community plan will build leaders because residents will feel a part of their community and have opportunities to share in a community wide vision to make Kitscoty more active, creative, and engaged.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
The Brick Sport Central Makes an Impact in Calling Lake
Andy Wigston doesn’t need a lot of time to come up with reasons why kids need access to sports.
“It’s important for kids to be healthy,” he says from his cell phone. Fittingly, he has just finished watching his son’s soccer game. He talks as he strolls through the grass back to his vehicle.
Most kids who play sports don’t have time to get into trouble. Another thing is the camaraderie they get—when they’re playing sports, they learn to play on teams, they learn team values and they also learn new skills.”
To Andy, team sports aren’t about developing athletes as much as they are about developing people. He lists more benefits: leadership and the ability to win—and lose—gracefully. Determination. A positive outlook. It’s clear he could keep going.
Given his obvious belief in the value of recreation, it should come as no surprise that Andy is involved with an organization that helps to make sports accessible to all children. The Brick Sport Central has been collecting and repairing used sports equipment and giving them to kids in need since 1991. Andy, now the president, has been involved with the organization for 11 years.
Andy recently partnered with Calling Lake, an ACE community in northern Alberta. He drove up to Calling Lake for an ACE weekend youth conference where he spoke about leadership.
Andy first learned about The Brick Sport Central when he was working for The Brick chain of furniture stores. “I thought, ‘this is amazing,” he recalls. He gladly sat on Brick Sport Central’s board as a sponsor and, when he retired in 2000, jumped at the chance to sit on the board as an executive. “This is a really incredible program. I’ve got another year on my term and I'm looking forward to it.”
The goal? “To get as many kids playing sports as we can,” he says, “whether that sport is soccer, tennis, volleyball, hockey, baseball or basketball, we’ll help them. We even get people dropping off sleds and toboggans.”
The Brick Sport Central deals with about 200 agencies in Alberta that contact the volunteer-driven organization when there’s a child who wants to play a sport, but his or her family can’t afford the equipment. It partners with KidSport Canada, an organization that supplies the funding to cover the cost of registration.
Andy and the team of volunteers serve the needs of sports-minded kids in Alberta from Red Deer all the way north. They’ve even helped hockey groups in Inuvik and Northwest Territories. To get the necessary sizes for these faraway teams, the volunteers get innovative. “We send them a form that has foot tracings and measurements for leg length, arm length, chest width, all those things so we can outfit them,” he explains, adding that the day the equipment arrives is always a happy one for those communities. “It’s really cool. When that plane arrives up north, the kids come out to the plane, and each one of them gets a hockey bag, full of equipment, with their name on it. They’re really excited.”
Last year, The Brick Sport Central outfitted 8,000 kids. They gave away lacrosse, tennis, baseball and hockey equipment—“any sport a kid plays,” Andy says. The organization also distributed 1,500 bicycles, refurbishing them in the full-service bike shop, which is run by volunteer bike mechanics.
As with any volunteer-run organization, The Brick Sport Central relies on a wide network of people that are as committed to the cause as Andy is. Right now there are approximately 45 volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure no sports dream goes unfulfilled.
“We have kids who received equipment when they were younger who are now volunteering with us,” he says. “It’s really rewarding when you see that happen.”
For more information on the program, visit www.sportcentral.org/.
By Jen Janzen for ACE Communities
“It’s important for kids to be healthy,” he says from his cell phone. Fittingly, he has just finished watching his son’s soccer game. He talks as he strolls through the grass back to his vehicle.
Most kids who play sports don’t have time to get into trouble. Another thing is the camaraderie they get—when they’re playing sports, they learn to play on teams, they learn team values and they also learn new skills.”
To Andy, team sports aren’t about developing athletes as much as they are about developing people. He lists more benefits: leadership and the ability to win—and lose—gracefully. Determination. A positive outlook. It’s clear he could keep going.
Given his obvious belief in the value of recreation, it should come as no surprise that Andy is involved with an organization that helps to make sports accessible to all children. The Brick Sport Central has been collecting and repairing used sports equipment and giving them to kids in need since 1991. Andy, now the president, has been involved with the organization for 11 years.
Andy recently partnered with Calling Lake, an ACE community in northern Alberta. He drove up to Calling Lake for an ACE weekend youth conference where he spoke about leadership.
Andy first learned about The Brick Sport Central when he was working for The Brick chain of furniture stores. “I thought, ‘this is amazing,” he recalls. He gladly sat on Brick Sport Central’s board as a sponsor and, when he retired in 2000, jumped at the chance to sit on the board as an executive. “This is a really incredible program. I’ve got another year on my term and I'm looking forward to it.”
The goal? “To get as many kids playing sports as we can,” he says, “whether that sport is soccer, tennis, volleyball, hockey, baseball or basketball, we’ll help them. We even get people dropping off sleds and toboggans.”
The Brick Sport Central deals with about 200 agencies in Alberta that contact the volunteer-driven organization when there’s a child who wants to play a sport, but his or her family can’t afford the equipment. It partners with KidSport Canada, an organization that supplies the funding to cover the cost of registration.
Andy and the team of volunteers serve the needs of sports-minded kids in Alberta from Red Deer all the way north. They’ve even helped hockey groups in Inuvik and Northwest Territories. To get the necessary sizes for these faraway teams, the volunteers get innovative. “We send them a form that has foot tracings and measurements for leg length, arm length, chest width, all those things so we can outfit them,” he explains, adding that the day the equipment arrives is always a happy one for those communities. “It’s really cool. When that plane arrives up north, the kids come out to the plane, and each one of them gets a hockey bag, full of equipment, with their name on it. They’re really excited.”
Last year, The Brick Sport Central outfitted 8,000 kids. They gave away lacrosse, tennis, baseball and hockey equipment—“any sport a kid plays,” Andy says. The organization also distributed 1,500 bicycles, refurbishing them in the full-service bike shop, which is run by volunteer bike mechanics.
As with any volunteer-run organization, The Brick Sport Central relies on a wide network of people that are as committed to the cause as Andy is. Right now there are approximately 45 volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure no sports dream goes unfulfilled.
“We have kids who received equipment when they were younger who are now volunteering with us,” he says. “It’s really rewarding when you see that happen.”
For more information on the program, visit www.sportcentral.org/.
By Jen Janzen for ACE Communities
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Community Gardens are Growing in Rural Alberta!
Community gardens are not new to the scene of outdoor recreational activities. Community gardens have been established around the world long before our lifetime. However, it seems in the last few years the concept and implementation of such gardens have become more widespread and well known.
Several partner communities of ACE have either began to talk about developing a community garden in their area or have initiated the ground breaking of a garden. Hinton will soon be developing a combined greenhouse and outdoor garden concept and other ACE Communities are creating their community gardens, such as Irricana and High Level.
There are several reasons why community gardens are important to both the individual and communities. The council of Saanich, BC has identified key reasons why community gardens are valuable:
"Community gardens are a valuable community recreation activity that contributes to health and well-being, positive social interaction, community development, cultural expression, connection to nature, protection and use of open space, and economical food production."
(http://www.gov.saanich.bc.ca/municipal/clerks/bylaws/pdfs/gardens.pdf).
It is important to understand that community gardens and sustainable community planning are two vital concepts to urban planning. This means the city planners need to re-think and be innovative about utilizing space during development. Securing areas in urban centres for community gardens establishes a way to increase the quality of life for residents. (http://www.cityfarmer.org/dianaCGplanning.html).
Check out in your area if there is a community garden. Learn more about them and how to become involved. Be proactive in securing our local food sources and creating opportunities for residents to be active, creative, and engaged in rural Alberta!
Several partner communities of ACE have either began to talk about developing a community garden in their area or have initiated the ground breaking of a garden. Hinton will soon be developing a combined greenhouse and outdoor garden concept and other ACE Communities are creating their community gardens, such as Irricana and High Level.
There are several reasons why community gardens are important to both the individual and communities. The council of Saanich, BC has identified key reasons why community gardens are valuable:
"Community gardens are a valuable community recreation activity that contributes to health and well-being, positive social interaction, community development, cultural expression, connection to nature, protection and use of open space, and economical food production."
(http://www.gov.saanich.bc.ca/municipal/clerks/bylaws/pdfs/gardens.pdf).
Other benefits include: food security, food sharing, reduced kitchen and restaurant waste, increased compost awareness, educational opportunities, increased skill base, and opportunities for all ages and abilities to come together around a common goal. The City of Victoria, BC is active in supporting community gardens and the link outlines several more benefits of community gardens.(http://www.victoria.ca/cityhall/pdfs/cmmnty_garden_policy.pdf)
Community gardens cross-over through several sectors in a community: recreation, arts, culture, business, social, health, and more. Community partners may include parks and recreation departments, planning and development departments, and several private and public partners. As any community development initiative, tapping into resources that may seem "out-of-the box" may reap several benefits.
When the local council supports the development and implementation of community gardens there is greater success in the longevity of these projects. Likewise, gaining community partners in developing the gardens are important to build networks, create a stronger profile in the community, gain support, and have increased access to resources.
It is important to understand that community gardens and sustainable community planning are two vital concepts to urban planning. This means the city planners need to re-think and be innovative about utilizing space during development. Securing areas in urban centres for community gardens establishes a way to increase the quality of life for residents. (http://www.cityfarmer.org/dianaCGplanning.html).
Check out in your area if there is a community garden. Learn more about them and how to become involved. Be proactive in securing our local food sources and creating opportunities for residents to be active, creative, and engaged in rural Alberta!
Monday, August 10, 2009
Sangudo Builds a New Playground
One of the ACE Communities, Sangudo has recently worked together at the local level with the "Let Them Be Kids" initiative to build a community playground. There was much preliminary work, but the main features of the playground were up in a day! This community spirit represents how drive and passion is not lost in when a group of committed citizens of all ages work together.
Sangudo's Community Playground Build has been featured this week on the “Let Them Be Kids” website. To take a look, just go to http://www.ltbk.ca/ and also http://www.viddler.com/explore/ltbk/videos/37/.
The community has shown how collaboration and determination can turn an idea into fruition and such an incredible success!
Sangudo's Community Playground Build has been featured this week on the “Let Them Be Kids” website. To take a look, just go to http://www.ltbk.ca/ and also http://www.viddler.com/explore/ltbk/videos/37/.
The community has shown how collaboration and determination can turn an idea into fruition and such an incredible success!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)