Hinton in the news!

Check out this link to a Hinton newspaper article describing the Communities in Bloom report for Hinton. Communities in Bloom is a volunteer based, Canadian non-profit organization, committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility, beautification and to improving quality of life through community participation and the opportunity to participate in a national program. The Alberta Recreation and Parks Association oversees the Alberta's Provincial Edition of the Communities in Bloom initiative.

The last 2 paragraphs refer to the Hinton Community Garden that was part of the town’s ACE Communites initiative.

Good to see the continuing success with this project!

Neighbours still connecting in Okotoks

Neighbourhoods in Okotoks are still modeling their activities after their ACE Okotoks neighbourhood connector program.

One neighbourhood association in Suntree not only had a huge Halloween event in the fall, they also did a kid’s campout and pancake breakfast in their neighborhood park in August.

Better yet – they hosted a music festival in September that featured neighborhood musicians. What a great way to celebrate your local talent!

To see the ACE neighborhood connector program, click here!

Glad to hear that the ACE activities are still alive and well in Okotoks…

Longview's Big Build Day!

Congrats to the town of Longview (population 350) who had over 100 volunteers come out on October 15th to build a play park in the centre of town as well as start a veterans' memorial and serenity garden in front of the Longview Village Office. Through various fundraising activities, Longview volunteers (with the assistance of the town) put into place $160,000 worth of playground equipment. Funding for this build started with their ACE Communities seed money but also included government grants, local fundraising efforts, and corporate sponsorship from local Longview businesses as well as organizations like Legacy Gas.



In a recent article from the High River Times, ACE Leader Geistlinger couldn't express just how thankful she was for everything the community did on Saturday and is looking forward to when the community gets another opportunity to step up and do another project.

"You guys have not let me down," she told the gathered crowd at the unveiling of the play park. "I am just blown away by your dedication to this. I feel like we are family and that this is our town."

This project was intiated through community surveys as part of Longview's two years as an ACE Community. Longview went on to partner with Let Them Be Kids to help them maximize their playground build. The next stage of the Longview's Xtreme Makeover will happen next spring with the conversion of a local outdoor skating rink into a summer skate park. The build will also include the addition of tennis nets and basketball hoops at one end of the skate park. This stage of the project is estimated to reach just under $100,000.



For more details on the build see the above mentioned High River Times article as well as pics in the ACE Communities Digital Gallery.

Way to go, Longview! We knew you could do it!

Rocky Mountain House featured!

Check this out! Rocky Mountain House, one of the ACE 'Diversity Friendly Communities' (DFC,) is being showcased on the Immigrating to AB (I2A) website.

Shouts out to Wood Buffalo and Lethbridge, alumni ACE Communities, for also being mentioned as being communities who are helping newcomers settle in their new home so that they can enjoy all the province has to offer.

Chestermere Bakes a Pie for a Good Cause

Kudos to the ACE Community of CHESTERMERE for taking pie making to a whole new level! This September, participants from their second community pie making workshop made 25 pies for the Chestermere Regional Food bank pie auction held recently at their Red Ribbon Competition during the town's annual County Fair.

Not only were there participants of all ages, the editor of the local paper as well as some police officers in SERIOUS flak jackets, all came together to make pies for the cause. This community effort raised nearly $1000 for the local food bank. YEAH Chestermere!

"Seems we love to make pies in Chestermere," says head pie maker and ACE Community leader, Jennifer 'Grannie Jen' Peddlesden.  "And where did THAT come from?" she continued,  "ACE!"

Thanks for your fantastic work in Chestermere, Grannie Jen!

Click here to check out pics from this latest event. And if you want to see more pie action, here is earlier an ACE video of Grannie Jen making one of her now famous pies.

Trails in Trochu!

Kudos to TROCHU who have managed to turn their ACE Communities seed funding into a Return on Investment (ROI) of 561%! Amazing!

The Town of Trochu’s ACE initiative is set to construct a network of 2,714 metres of eight foot wide, gravel based, asphalt historical walking trails. The trail will promote physical activity and act as a lasting tool to preserve local history while truly transforming the community. The fulfillment of this project will also see a beautiful network of pathways, completely landscaped with native trees and plants, historical markers, bridges, benches, garbage cans, bollards and other decorative touches.

Way to go, Trochu!

Trochu is also stepping up to be a mentor for our next group of ACE Communities at the upcoming ACE 'Diversity Friendly Communities' gathering in October. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with the next generation of ACE Communities!

Official Launch of Hinton's Greenhouse

The Hinton Community Greenhouse is bursting with sweet red peppers, juicy tomatoes, strawberries, peas, squash and even cucumbers. What a time for thanks and celebration!

The Hinton Community Garden Society hosted a Grand Opening ceremony and harvest celebration on the Labour Day weekend and community residents all shared the local produce, success and new opportunities that this brings for Hinton! Starting out as one of the first ten Active Community partners (now ACE), this hard working group has created this “Third Place” where everyone can participate and be part of ensuring a local supply of fresh, organic produce!

Greenhouse founder, Jerome Cranston, said that: “since the plan was first dreamed up and presented to council in January 2009, there has been so much community support. This is really a grassroots project thanks to the thousands of hours of volunteer labour, and from the support of sponsors especially Kinder Morgan Canada, Alberta Recreation and Parks Association and the Town of Hinton”. Hinton is pleased to have a new executive lead by Noel Corser that is working hard to take this to the next level!

And to see pics of this great event, click here!

For more information on this amazing process please contact Kate Wright at kathrynwright77@hotmail.com or visit their website at http://hintoncommunitygreenhouse.org