Session Descriptions

PC1 l Change, Challenge and Opportunity in your Community!

Explore and Learn from Colleagues

Facilitated by Barbara Pedersen

What is happening in recreation and parks in your community? What changes are occurring? How might you solve challenges? How could you use opportunities? These questions will kick off the preconference session. Join fellow municipal recreation and parks practitioners, professionals and elected officials in a facilitated Open Space Technology workshop that will allow participants to discuss topics and issues that your municipality is currently facing. You, as the participant, will set and guide the agenda for the day. Participants will identify, discuss and problem solve topics that are most important and timely for them. Opportunities to break into groups based on topics or size of community will be made available. Learn from your colleagues about ways that they have successfully addressed issues in recreation and parks. Develop action plans for your community. Explore potential priorities related to the Framework for Recreation in Canada and other relevant policies. This workshop is a part of the Municipal Recreation Engagement Strategy which is a collaboration between ARPA and the Recreation and Physical Activity Division of Alberta Culture and Tourism.

PC2 l Indigenous Engagement: Cultural

Skills Development

Dr. Reg Crowshoe

In many ways, Dr. Crowshoe acts as the conduit between Indigenous worldviews and the mainstream understanding of these ways. This session will touch on three important elements of engaging with Indigenous communities. It will first explore Indigenous history starting with first contact, Treaties and Reserves, residential schools, and intergenerational trauma. The session will then introduce the practices and protocols that are important to all working with Indigenous communities focusing on how the recreation, parks, and wellness practitioner can use these cultural skills as tools. It will then conclude with a future scan looking at where we should go with these engagements, how to be an ally, and what documents exist to support this work.

PC3 l Adventure Play from A-Z

Facilitated by: Julie Guimond & the City of Calgary

Learn about the process the City of Calgary undertook to implement a mobile adventure playground, where saws, hammers, nails and loose parts play made a difference in child development and activity levels of children. How did the risk department let them do this, what did parents say, how and where did they program and what have they learned after 2 years of this program?

PC4 l Let’s Talk: Creating Healthier Communities (ChooseWell)

Lisa McLaughlin & Chantel Churcher

Half Day (1:00 - 4:00 pm)

This session, sponsored by ARPA’s Communities ChooseWell program, will give participants a frequently requested opportunity to share ideas and talk to each other about the issues they care most about when it comes to enhancing health and wellbeing in our communities. Anyone who wants to improve wellness in their community is welcome to attend this participant driven, conversational session to network with other community wellness champions, share advice and knowledge with their peers, and discuss the wellness issues that are truly important to them.

PC5 l HIGH FIVE® Training – Aboriginal HIGH FIVE

Julia Soucie (Fort McKay)

ARPA is proud to be the Alberta provider of HIGH FIVE®, Canada’s only Quality Assurance Program for recreation and sport programs for children aged 6-12. HIGH

FIVE® provides a range of training, assessment tools and resources to ensure that organizations deliver the highest quality programs possible. This Aboriginal HIGH FIVE® session will be led by an Indigenous trainer and empowers Indigenous leaders across Alberta to enhance the quality of sport and recreation programs in their communities. These leaders will be engaged in rethinking aspects of the program to best meet the needs of Indigenous children. Bursaries are available for Indigenous recreation professionals so please contact Janet at jnaclia@arpaonline.ca if interested in participating.

PC6 l Pricing, Packaging and Selling Corporate Sponsorships in our New Economy

Judy Haber

Half Day (1:00 - 4:00 pm)

In this highly interactive workshop, using case studies from the City of Lacombe, Town of Strathmore, City of Spruce Grove and other towns and municipalities, participants will learn and discuss the following:

• What Sponsorship is and isn’t!

• Example of typical Facility Assets

• Valuation of Facility Assets (what is your property worth)

• Examples of Naming Rights and Secondary Sponsorship sales documents

• Examples of Letters of Agreement (between Sponsor and Municipality)

• Examination of Naming Rights and Corporate Sponsors Deals done in Alberta and Saskatchewan (term and fees)

• Examination of types of companies/categories that engage in Corporate Sponsorships and Naming Rights

A1 l If you are what you eat, then you are where you live...

Joyce Tang

Our communities and built environment can influence our daily activities, which impacts our physical, mental and social health. This session will highlight what the City of Calgary is doing differently through the newly created HealthYYC Initiative which is a cross discipline, departmental and interest group advisory group that aims to accelerate ideas into actions that will support healthy communities. Further learn more about what a Health Impact Assessment is and how it could be a tool for your future projects.

A2 l Engaging Diverse Communities

Michelle Wong

As a municipal government, the work we do directly affects the communities that live, work and play in our public spaces, as such, citizen engagement play an important role in every project we deliver. The City of Calgary defines engagement to be: “Purposeful dialogue between The City and citizens and stakeholders to gather information to influence decision making.” Calgary Parks has employed innovative ways to engage diverse communities and encouraged citizen input to help shape the outcomes of our parks. Spaces that have been designed for the people, with the people have resulted in places embraced and enjoyed by the communities they serve. This session shares the various tools, techniques and learnings from Calgary Parks on citizen engagement using case studies from past projects.

A3 l Is Your Community Asset a Tourism Asset?

Justin Rousseau

Great community spaces are often places where tourists like to visit and local events often have broader appeal to tourism markets. At a time when our economic situation is in such flux, tourism has emerged as a bright spot: a sign of hope for future economic diversity. Many communities are awakening to the critical link between community assets and tourism development. But are your community assets really “tourism ready?” Should you allocate scarce resources to tourism development? What are the opportunities and risks in leveraging your community assets? What pressure points cause tension between community and tourism goals? What resources are available to achieve your community objectives? This interactive session will help give you the tools to answer these questions. Case studies from Alberta communities will bring the discussion to life.

A4 l Pricing, Packaging and Selling Corporate Sponsorships in our New Economy

Judy Haber

Using case studies from the City of Lacombe, Town of Strathmore, and Spruce Grove, participants will get a quick glance of what it means to be in the business of Corporate Sponsorships and Naming Rights. The session will describe how some deals get done and what is required of the municipality or organization to be successful in securing support from the corporate sector.

A5 l ARPA News with Bill Wells

William Wells & Susan Laurin

Come spend an hour with William Wells, the CEO of ARPA, and learn about the new and ground-breaking initiatives happening through the association! Hear about the first Alberta graduates from the CPRA Professional Development program. Share in the success of Communities ChooseWell and the program’s exciting new developments. Learn what’s new with the Excellence Series, our work with Indigenous communities, and Communities in Bloom. This is the perfect opportunity to ask those burning questions and share with Bill what might be a priority in your community.

A6 l CtR: Working for Success - Connecting Research, Policy, & Practice

Mike Roma, RC + Perks

Brad Babiak, GoA Recreation and Physical Activity Division

Dr. Nick Holt, University of Alberta.

Goal 5 of A Framework for Recreation in Canada, calls for “academics and government at all orders and levels to undertake research and data collection to analyze recreation trends and issues in order to keep recreation policies and programs current and effective”. While Alberta has a long history of collaboration between academics, government and practice, the way that these sectors are able to work together has changed. Through stories of success and failure, this panel provides insight into the current conditions and trends that shape the connection between research policy and practice, and offer their predictions on the future of this important relationship.

A7 l Recreation and Inclusion: An Indigenous Perspective

Panel: Dr. Reg Crowshoe, Ted Hodgson, Wayne Page, Christy Morgan & Cam Stewart

Moderator: Janet Naclia

A fundamental principle of Alberta Human Rights Act is that all people in Alberta are equal. This means that all Albertans have an equal opportunity to earn a living, find a place to live, and enjoy services customarily available to the public without discrimination. But what does equal opportunity mean to you? What is the meaning of inclusion using an Indigenous world-view? And what does inclusion (or the alternative – exclusion) mean to Indigenous recreation practitioners and non-Indigenous allies in the recreation sector? Join in a panel discussion co-hosted by Janet Naclia, Programs Manager with ARPA and Cam Stewart, Education and Engagement Unit with the Alberta Human Rights Commission to explore these topics. Hear from an panel of Indigenous speakers as they share both their personal and organizational perspectives on the idea of inclusion in the recreation, parks, and the wellness sector

A8 l Recreation and Physical Activity Project Grants

John Barbour

Learn about the project funding opportunities available through Alberta Culture and Tourism’s Recreation and Physical Activity Project Grant. Through an overview of the recent direction of project funding, the different kinds of eligible projects, and select successful projects, the Recreation and Physical Activity Division will encourage attendees to consider how their next great idea might be eligible for funding support!

B1 l Strategies for Making Healthy Choices a Profitable Venture in Recreation Centres

Members of CHEERS (Collaborative for Healthy Eating Environments in Recreation Settings) and Alberta community wellness champions

Although recreation’s purpose is to enhance wellness, recreation facilities are notorious for their abundance of foods and beverages that can be harmful to wellness! While research from Alberta has found that many recreation managers support the idea of offering more healthy choices in their facilities, concerns about profitability and public buy-in are a key barrier to change. But don’t despair; healthy food CAN be profitable! Join us in this session to learn from Alberta communities and from research about strategies that support business success while making positive changes towards a healthy food environment in your recreation facilities.

B2 l Making Spaces: Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ+ Identities

Cory Johnson

Come explore the complexities of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer identities including the language and unique needs of LGBTQ. Learn more about gender identity/expression and how these intersect with other identities. Discuss practical recommendations and supports to help and your organization serve and support the community members and be an ally for social equality and equity

B3 l Banff Bison Reintroduction

William Snow

Join William Snow of the Stoney Nakoda First Nation to discuss the cultural impacts of the Bison Reintroduction project in Banff National Park and how this project is functional on a number of levels. Such a project has historic, cultural, and ecological aspects that are continuing to unfold. Although landscapes, wildlife and ecosystems are in constant change, what remains constant is the understanding that First Nations possess, and maintain through their understanding of holistic relationships. It is this relationship and use of ceremony that laid a foundation for the Bison Reintroduction project, within National Parks. The Bison Reintroduction is a way of ensuring that the biodiversity of landscapes are maintained, not only ecologically, but culturally as well.

B4 l Leveraging Technology to Amplify Your Purpose

Jeff Tareta & Christopher Laurin

The use of technology is becoming more widely accepted to help improve facility operations and enhance the overall user experience. With the overabundance of technology solutions in the fitness & recreation market, choosing the right product can be challenging for operators. In this 60-minute presentation, Health Systems Group will share their insight into how new technology solutions can expedite our work in enabling Canadians to become more active. We will explore how you can access more residents, not just those who use your facilities, to expand community engagement! Avoid getting lost in the myriad of possibilities. Learn the difference between a mindless adoption of technology for its own sake, and a mindful application of choosing appropriate solutions that will elevate your purpose.

B5 l Policy Connections

Brad Babiak

Physical activity, recreation, and sport are proven and powerful ways to enhance the wellbeing and quality of life of individuals and communities. The evidence to support the physical, social, and psychological benefits to individuals who have opportunities to engage in physical activity, recreation, and sport as well as the social, financial, and health benefits to communities are robust and plentiful. One of the approaches to help Albertans enjoy these benefits is through policy. This session will explore the connections between national and provincial polices such as A Framework for Recreation in Canada 2015: Pathways to Wellbeing, the Canadian Sport Policy 2.0, Active Alberta, the Alberta Sport Policy, and the soon to be released Pan-Canadian approach to physical activity. This session will explore opportunities and linkages in the areas of alignment as well as provide tools to learn about and implement policy. As a key decision maker or practitioner in your municipality, you will learn how to navigate, utilize and explore the ways these policies can work for your community.

B6 l CtR: Pleasure, Politics, & Parks

Michelle Murphy, University of Alberta. Ski Resorts and Conservation Politics: Lessons from Kananaskis Country Recreation Development, 1981-1988.

Dr. PearlAnn Reichwein, University of Alberta.Making Mill Creek Park: Edmonton Environmentalists Versus City Hall.

Mu He, University of Alberta. The Impact of Interpretative Programs on Visitor Experiences: A Proposed Study at the Columbia Ice Fields

This session encourages us to think differently about the way we develop park sites as places of natural beauty, personal enjoyment, and environmental education. Michelle Murphy takes a look at the role of conservation politics in developing Kaninaksis for the 88 Olympics and suggests that current recreation development ambitions should learn from this historical review of land-use tension. Dr. Reichwein parallels the wide ranging impact of citizen mobilization in 1974 to preserve what is now MIll Creek Park with current need for municipalities to support civic engagement in larger urban design schemes, community development and politics.. Mu He explores the impact of interpretive programs on young adults park enjoyment, by engaging session participants in an interpretive park experiment.

B7 l Urban Indigenous Wellness

Shandi Thachuk and Brad Fisher

The Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary (AFCC) is a community leader in advocating for Aboriginal social and cultural services. They are committed to a holistic and traditional approach in the development and provision of these resources for the Aboriginal peoples of Calgary. Come to this session to learn how the AFCC utilizes recreation and Indigenous wellness activities as ways of engaging with their community! Learn about their successful programs such as Hide Tanning, Youth Drumming Circles, Drum & Moccasin Making, and Sweatlodges in an urban setting, as well as their hugely impactful Traditional Naming Program.

B8 l This is my Neighbourhood

Katie Thorpe and Kendra Varoney

This is my neighbourhood is a City of Calgary initiative created to improve neighbourhood access to City programs and services and to allow for a more coordinated and efficient response from The City to neighbourhoods. Working in the first 14 inaugural neighbourhoods, we had the opportunity to collaborate with citizens to shape the future of their neighbourhood, by creating a neighbourhood vision, delivering over 125 initiatives in alignment to that vision, and contributing to the City of Calgary’s One City One Voice vision. Come join us as we discuss our learning’s/blooper real from the first 2 years and how we have incorporated these learning’s in order to increase cross corporate collaborations and expand on creative initiatives with the next 14 neighbourhoods in year 3 of the initiative.

C1 (PART 1) l The Role of the Municipality in Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD)

Graham Jones & Amber Lenzin

The expectations that adults place on youth in sport are a problem, and too many young people are quitting at an age when their interest in sports should be at its highest with approximately 70% of youth dropping out of organized sport by the age of 13. Some adults look at their kids’ games the same way they look at professional sports – the only thing they focus on is winning. The City of Calgary believes that relying on sport groups to push the Canada’s Sport for Life practices is not enough, and that educating parents on the theories of LTAD and CS4L practices will lead to a better understanding of physical literacy and be a catalyst for change and improvement that will help our municipality achieve its goal of promoting life-long participation.

C1 (PART 2) l Concussion Policy Protocols

Jen Sales & Barb Adamson

Concussion policy is critical to the safety of all sport and recreation participants. The Alberta Concussion Alliance (ACA) was formed to provide Albertans with easily accessible research driven concussion prevention and management practices that are simple and safe to use. We will discuss: - The history of concussion policy in Canada - Barriers, Culture Change and Stigma - Why it is important - Steps to adoption The ACA has developed a recommendation and policy for concussion management that has been published with an adoptable concussion policy. This is a flexible tool that every sport and recreation provider can utilize to be specific to their organizations needs.

C2 l Human Rights Commision @ AUMA Welcoming and Inclusive Communities / Social Policy (Cochrane)

Cam Steward, Darren Reedy, Maryann Chichak, & Melissa Engdahl

Are you helping or preventing residents from using your services? Are you seeing discrimination in your community? Looking for answers to make your services more inclusive for all residents? This session will involve a hands-on exercise, led by Darren Reedy of the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and Cam Stewart of the Alberta Human Rights Commission, to evaluate the inclusiveness of your municipality and how you can change policies and practices to encourage more use of your recreational facilities and services. Participants will also hear from Melissa Engdahl, Community Resource Worker with the Town of Cochrane, who will speak about the Town’s success in implementing a social policy framework, educating staff about diversity and how the Town conducted a ‘rolling audit’ where council and administration spent a day in a wheelchair to better understand the challenges of accessing local parks space.

C3 (PART 1) l Parks for All Framework Update and Overview

TBA

This will be an opportunity to learn what is included in the final Parks for All Framework and how it fits in with the Framework for Recreation in Canada and other policy documents. Information will be shared on how your organization can endorse and use the Parks for All in your parks and outdoor planning and development.

C3 (PART 2) l The Role of Municipal Park Systems in Achieving Success of the Framework for Recreation in Canada

David Ellis

Municipal Parks Systems offer a wide range of recreational activities in a community that are increasingly important in an urban centre. Understanding these immerging roles will assist municipalities in planning, developing and programing the open space as they work towards the Framework for Recreation in Canada. In addition to helping urban residents connect with nature parks have a key role in Active Living, Inclusion and Access, Supportive Environments and providing Recreation Capacity. Join David Ellis from the City of Lethbridge as he maps how municipal parks fit within each of the five goal areas of the Framework for Recreation in Canada.

C4 l Recreation’s Role in Disaster Response and Recovery

Nicole Genereux

Recognizing the critical role recreation has to play in disaster response and community recovery, Alberta Culture and Tourism initiated a project to learn from the experiences of those involved in the wildfires in Wood Buffalo in 2016, as well as those involved in the flooding in southern Alberta in 2013, and the wildfires in Slave Lake in 2011. This session will be an opportunity to explore connections between the recreation sector and Alberta’s Emergency Management Framework, and consider how recreation facilities, staff, programming, and partnerships can be better integrated into community emergency response and recovery plans.

C5 l What impacts will ICFs and other changes within the modernized MGA have on Recreation and Parks in your community?

Mike Roma & John McDonnell

The Municipal Government Act (MGA) is currently going through a modernization process and one of the changes to it that will have an effect on municipal recreation and parks departments is the introduction of mandatory Inter-municipal Collaboration Frameworks (ICFs). These ICFs will entail a review of how a number of municipal services, including recreation, are provided by municipalities independently and collaboratively. In addition, some jurisdictions in the province have developed, or are developing, regional recreation master plans independent of the ICF requirement. Come find out more about what ICFs are (and are not), how they relate to regional recreation master plans, and how they may impact your municipality in the future. A review of the overall feedback ARPA provided to the province through the Modernized MGA engagement process and the results will also be discussed.

C6 l CtR : Fostering Play Environments This session looks at the way physical, policy, and governance environments impact play.

Megan Myers, City of Calgary. Bringing Back Unstructured Play: Parental Factors and Practical Solutions.

Kyle McCallum, University of Calgary. Physical Activity, Children and the Playground Environment.

Lisa Tink, University of Alberta. Pushing the Play Agenda: Questioning the Relationship Between Nature Play Policy and Practice.

Dr. Ryan Snelgrove, Univeristy of Waterloo. A Staged Model of Organizational Change in Youth Sport.

Megan Myers tells why the City of Calgary is working to find out what parents in that city know about the benefits of unstructured play. Kyle McCallum shares work by Calgary based research team that looks at how something as simple as painting lines can impact physical activity. Lisa Tink speaks about how the language we use in our nature play policy is shaping the way play programs and initiatives are delivered and measured, and not necessarily for the better. Dr. Ryan Snelgrove discusses how governance can influence youth sport organizations as they change focus from ‘win at all costs’ to skill development and fun.

C7 l Reconciliation - Blanket Exercise

Christy Morgan & Suzanne Dzus

The KAIROS Blanket Exercise is an interactive learning experience that takes participants through our shared history with the Indigenous people of Canada. Developed in response to the 1996 Report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples — which recommended education on Canadian-Indigenous history as one of the key steps to reconciliation, the Blanket Exercise covers over 500 years of history in a participatory workshop. Join us for this hugely impactful, experiential session that will lead participants through the impacts of colonization and actions within Canada’s history that have impacted the Indigenous population.

C8 l Challenge Yourself to Take Advantage of Every Opportunity to Grow Your Career

City of Calgary Recreation Staff

This session provide the opportunity for post-secondary students and/or recent graduates to increase awareness and knowledge of the City of Calgary Recreation. Join City of Calgary staff for an innovative way to network and connect to help launch or grow your developing career. This session will increase exposure of career opportunities within the City of Calgary Recreation and learn about hiring processes post-graduation. Bring your questions and enthusiasm about the broad field of recreation and prepare to network and connect.

D1 l Asset Management for Recreation Facilities & FCM Grant Program (AUMA Session)

Infrastructure Asset Management Alberta

Join members of Infrastructure Asset Management Alberta (IAMA) Working Group to learn more about the organization and the resources available to assist with implementing and maintaining an asset management program for your recreation and parks infrastructure. IAMA’s mission is to provide leadership and support for the management of community infrastructure assets. A panel of experts will then discuss asset management related to parks infrastructure. Also, find out more about the Federation of Community Municipalities (FCM) new Municipal Asset Management program.

D2 l Revisiting Public Recreation, What about Public Good? …and what if we do Nothing?

Gary Debney & Joe Pavelka

At the 2016 ARPA Conference, we reintroduced the concept of Public Good and what was happening in the recreation industry. Coming out of the session several participants wanted to continue the dialogue. A small group was formed and Joe Pavelka offered to prepare a discussion paper for the group. “Revisiting Public Recreation – What if we did nothing?” is a provocative look at what we are facing as an industry and some suggestions as to what action is needed. Last year’s presentation and Joe’s paper was sent out to group members who were asked to participate in a modified Delphi process to collect input. A series of rounds of questions allowed participants to dig deeper into the topic and to build on what other participants were thinking. The result of this research will be presented at the conference followed up by discussion groups to garner further input. Session participants will take away information on how to introduce the discussion in their home community along with tools that they can use.

D3 l Cycling Cowboys: The Complete Story of Calgary’s Centre City Cycle Track Network Pilot

Calgary Centre City Cycle Track Team

The team that planned and implemented an instant network of cycle tracks in downtown Calgary will share the complete story of how they overcame challenges during planning and engagement, building, operating and evaluating the pilot network. The City of Calgary and their consultant, Stantec, conducted over a 100 meetings with the public to create an ambitious project to make Calgary’s downtown bike friendly. The project survived a contentious Council vote and was approved in April 2014. The city opened all the routes in June 2015 under budget and ahead of schedule. Targeted education efforts through a Bicycle Ambassador Program helped educate the public and online daily bike counts provide transparency in bicycle volumes to the public. We’ll share how a pilot approach has allowed us to improve cycle track end treatments, re-introduce parking, improve snow maintenance and to continue to make modifications based on public feedback. The comprehensive Evaluation Plan considers nine performance measures and will be used to make a decision on the outcome of the pilot project. If your city or region wants a toolkit on how to plan, build and evaluate an entire cycle track network at once, this is a session you won’t want to miss!

D4 l Emerging Issues in an Evolving Aquatics World

Michael Warchol

Who works at your pool? What makes your pool function? Why is your pool an important piece of your community? The Alberta Association of Aquatic Professionals would like to lead and inform you on the aquatic centre that resides in your community. This guided presentation will talk to the legalities associated with your pool, the staff that work at your pool and the important role that industry standards plays when having to make decisions about your aquatic centre.

D5 l Navigating Innovation in Times of Change

Leanne Keyko, Megan Hunter & Kayla Atkey

Communities are great incubators for innovation, but moving a new idea forward is not always easy. Change occurs differently depending on how ‘ready’ a community or group is. Depending on level of readiness, different strategies and resources will be more effective in moving ideas forward. This interactive workshop you will provide an opportunity to apply the Idea Readiness Tool (IRT) – an evidence-based tool originally adapted to support school communities in moving ideas forward - in your own setting. Assess readiness and take away targeted strategies and resources to support change. Drawing on ASEBP’s experience using the IRT with school communities, we will explore how it can be applied to encourage cultures of wellness and provide strategies for moving forward in times of change.

D6 l CtR: Space, Place, and Land

Katie Dodson, Olds College Prairie Turfgrass Research Center. Closing the Loop in Green Waste Management Through the Incorporation of Compost into Athletic Field Management.

Enrica Dall’Ara, University of Calgary. Industrial Sites and Recreation Itineraries: Engaging Landscape Architecture to Transform Public Space.

Dr. Greg Dingle, La Trobe University. Climate and Climate Change and Community Grass-based Facilities.

This session looks at our relationship with nature and built recreation spaces. Katie Dodson discusses the effect of green-streaming organic waste on the wear tolerance and turf quality of municipal recreation fields. Enrica Dall’Ara shares the influence of Landscape Architecture in transforming and reclaiming industrial sites as public park space. Dr. Dingle’s presentation explores what our grass-based recreation spaces and those who manage them have to tell us about the impacts and challenges of balancing user demands with financial and other (e.g., water consumption) considerations in an era of climate change.

D7 l The Siksika N7 Program - Inspiring Indigenous Youth

Janice Doore & Tyler White

The Siksika N7 Program is a leading-edge program representing a partnership between the Siksika Health Services and the Nike N7 Program. The program’s goal is to empower and motivate youth in the Siksika Nation to know who they are and, in turn, inspire their families and communities. By offering a wide array of supports focusing on sports, culture, and education, the SN7 program strives to combat youth isolation, health and social challenges, and inter-generational trauma by instilling self-confidence and pride in local youth. Join Janice Doore, Siksika Crisis and Victim Service Coordinator, and Tyler White, CEO of Siksika Health Services, to hear about this inspirational program and how Siksika uses recreation as an opportunity to not only engage with their youth and also as one of many forms of suicide prevention.

D8 l The Impacts, Challenges and Realities of Drug Use in Recreation and Parks Facilities and the Important Role of Our Sector

Elaine Hyshka and TBA

This session will discuss drug use and impacts in recreation and parks facilities and spaces. Topics will include the recent opioid crisis, the move toward the legalization of Cannabis and steroid use in recreation and sport settings will be covered. Learn about some of the realities of drug use and how the recreation and parks sector can support change in a positive way.

E1 l Alberta Recreation Survey - Recreation Activity Choices of Albertans

Janet Fletcher, Nicole Genereux & Ron Smith

The Alberta Recreation Survey shows us that recreation is important and part of Alberta’s culture and a big contributor to Albertans’ quality of life. The Survey is the only activity based survey in Canada to have been conducted over 35 years, most recently in 2017. Knowing that recreation has changed significantly over the past 35 years, this session will explore the current recreation activity choices of Albertans, compare the results with past surveys and identify trends that have emerged over time. We will also compare the results for the province and those for The City of Calgary and highlight similarities and differences in participation patterns as well as public attitudes. The session will also be an opportunity to discuss how the Survey supports national and provincial initiatives, as well as how this information might support parks and recreation planning at a local level.

E2 l Recreation Registration Software Lessons from Communities

Panel: Erik Van den Eynden (City of Calgary), Scott Couves (Strathcona County) and TBA

This session will continue the conversation on recreation software systems. Panel members from three different communities will share their unique experiences and learnings from moving to a new service provider.

E3 (PART 1) l Get the kids out; get their families out! Winter Play in Edmonton

Kurtis Dinsmore & Adrian Merrick

At Glenora Child Care Society we are striving to put an end to the idea that young children should sit inside during the frigid winter months. With the support of a grant from the Lawson Foundation’s Outdoor Play Strategy, Glenora Child Care Society is specifically focused on improving outdoor winter play for young children aged 1 to 5. We aim to normalize winter play for preschoolers and their families by expanding, extending and enhancing children’s outdoor winter play opportunities. Through staff education, development of resources, community connections and celebrations, and new activities and materials, we are finding unique and innovative ways for our youngest children to play outside safely and actively during the winter months. Going into our second winter with an enhanced winter play program, we are already identifying important components that support the participation of young children and their families in winter activities. Through research with our families, and the opportunity to explore and innovate with our children, we are developing a set of promising practices for outdoor winter play and activities with young children that are transferable to all kinds of winter environments.

E3 (PART 2) l Move and Play on the Tarmac

Be Fit for Life Network

Over the past few years there has been emerging research that the use of painted lines on playground tarmac surfaces can be an effective and low cost means to increase physical activity levels in children. With only 9% of Canadian kids, aged 5-17, getting the recommended 60 minutes of heart-pumping daily activity there is a lot of room for improvement. As recreation & health practitioners we can improve our existing environments that brings back easy opportunities for children to freely run, jump, throw, and play with no barriers. The Be Fit For Life Network has created a free downloadable resource that supports outdoor tarmac games, as well as, having stencil kits for loan. In this workshop you will learn and practice the Move & Play tarmac games that foster the development of physical literacy, social interaction, and the enjoyment of pure play. These games can be done anywhere whether you’re using painted lines outdoors or masking tape indoors.

E4 l Defining and Exploring Rural Recreation in Alberta

Geoff Lynch & Candace Nykiforuk

A small working group initiated by the ARPA Board of Directors earlier this year embarked on a project that focused on the unique aspects of rural and remote recreation including how it can be defined, what it includes, the unique barriers that exist in rural Alberta and how it has changed over the decades. Building from the Working Group’s mandate and research that Dr. Candace Nykiforuk and others have conducted on physical activity in rural and remote Alberta, this session will share information on what has been learned in some initial conversations on the topic and will look to continue to explore the uniqueness of rural recreation

E5 l Creating a Space for Innovation – City of Calgary

Jarret Hoebers & Deanna Bradley

The environment is which Calgary Recreation works has changed significantly over the last decade. Along with population growth, we are experiencing an ever increasing diversity in the expectations of our customers, our citizens and our politicians. The challenge of not simply surviving but thriving in a changed environment inspired the creation of the Calgary Recreation Office of Innovation. A small team purpose built to inspire and support Calgary Recreation in the delivery of innovative programs and services that promote opportunities for Calgarians to be more active and creative more often. Committing resources and declaring the exploration of new ideas to deliver programs and services as a priority has created many opportunities for Calgary Recreation to work with and for the community. The result has been the establishment of partnerships with a broader segment of the health and wellness sector and has changed the types of conversations among recreation deliver partners. In this session you will learn about why the Calgary Recreation Office of Innovation was created, how they work and hear about the successes and learnings to date. Themes for discussion will include programming, collaboration, evidence based decision making, collective impact and strategy development.

E6 l CtR: Inclusive, Meaningful Recreation

Tristan Hooper, University of Alberta. Engagement of “At-risk” Youth Through Meaningful Leisure.

Simon Barrick, University of Calgary. Considerations for Building Newcomers Into Sport Programs.

Dr. Tara-Leigh McHugh, University of Alberta. Sport and Recreation Experiences of Indigenous Youth in Canada.

This session explores the idea of inclusive and meaningful recreation from three different perspectives. Tristan Hooper offers new way to think about creating inclusive programming for targeting at-risk youth. Simon Barrick shares insight from a City of Calgary program that use sport programs and intersectoral teams to design and deliver inclusive programs for newcomers. Dr. McHugh looks a back at the research on recreation experience of Indigenous youth in Canada and finds five themes that can be situated within the Integrated Indigenous ecological model.

E7 l Indigenous Success Stories from Communities ChooseWell

Communities ChooseWell

Panel Moderator: Janet Naclia

Communities ChooseWell is a provincial initiative of the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association that promotes and supports the development of programs, policies and partnerships that foster community wellness through active living and healthy eating. Communities ChooseWell has been working in collaboration with Indigenous communities across the province in both rural and urban settings. Participants in this session will hear success stories, shared by a panel of Indigenous ChooseWell champions, focusing on their work in community. The panelists will discuss both their challenges and their opportunities focusing on issues surrounding food insecurity, urban engagement, and the power of culturally-based projects.

E8 l Using Improv to Unleash Creativity

Rapid Fire Theatre Members Julian & Kory

Using the fundamental techniques of improv comedy, this session will teach how to generate a huge amount of ideas quickly and easily. Learn to say “yes, and…”, build quickly on ideas, and why being passionate about positivity will push you and your team to greater creative heights. You don’t need to be funny, you just need to have fun!