LIN Receives President's Award of Distinction from PRO

Introduction (by the MC)

We have just heard about the Benefits Catalogue and how that knowledge and research enhanced our sector. Around the same time, people started to realize that the internet would be a powerful tool for knowledge exchange.  The concept of a National Recreation Database a means of encouraging interprovincial amd territorial cooperation and of supporting recreation practitioners across the country through sharing sectoral information and knowledge management.

In 1995, the Leisure Information Network (LIN) was established. Its mandate included the development of a resource database, which was subsequently endorsed by the ISRC as the National Recreation Database (NRDB).

Since then, LIN has operated with a commitment to the increasing relevance of leisure, recreation and parks to the health and quality of life of all Canadians, as well as the contribution these make to building vital, flourishing communities and to environmental sustainability. 

Now, LIN is recognized as the national knowledge-based digital forum for sharing information about recreation and parks. The National Recreation Database, which is the backbone of the LIN website, is only one of LIN’s accomplishments. They have organized collections to help practitioners find relevant resources on topics such as customer service, and recreation infrastructure, and  developed practical tool such as legislative audit checklists. They have commissioned research and regularly collect best practices. They have partnered with various provincial associations throughout the years and contributed to the development of knowledge-based web platforms in Manitoba and Nova Scotia. As well, they are the engine behind the Northern Links web site and the ON After School Portal. 

 LIN has always been a trendsetter: they pioneered the first digital conference with PRO back in the 1980s.

 Each year, more than $3.6 million in no-cost resources are downloaded from the database by more than 65,000 unique visitors. 

Acceptance Remarks  

Wow this Conference has certainly been a celebration; comedy, music, professional dancers, leadership challenges and sessions that make your head spin and above all MOTIVATE each of us in different ways.

Thank You  For that quick review of the LIN history…….

It is truly an honour  to accept the President’s Award of Distinction from PRO.  The Staff and Board of LIN sincerely thank PRO for recognizing that LIN is a full partner in contributing to the quality of life in the  recreation sector of Ontario and Canada.

LIN was there in 1995 as a fledgling organization along with PRO taking on the challenges of the day and looking ahead thinking what will we look like in 20 years.

I think we both aged well. The key to our success has been 5 things:

1.  Visionary leadership at the Board level

2.  Creative Collaborative  leadership at the CEO level

3.  Wonderful support from the Ministry & the Trillium Foundation

4.  An uncanny ability to survive

5.  A desire to raise the quality of life in our province & country  and always wanting to be part of the solution

6.   The sixth thing for LIN has been having the counsel and mentorship of Larry Ketcheson

LIN is evolving from being a collector/dissemination of information to being a curator of information. A value adder! We are working on creative ways to respond to emerging challenges  on the front line, the Board Room, the Council Chamber and in the offices of the policy wonks.

All the success that organizations achieve is the result of a lot of people pulling together under someone’s leadership. In 1995 two leaders set off on different challenges……Larry Ketcheson set off building PRO and Agnes Croxford took on the challenge of bringing the best information possible to the Recreation Sector

Agnes has been the glue that has held LIN together when we struggled for direction, she was the person who sought out projects and funds to keep the work moving forward.

Agnes is a very organized person. She has the mind of a Librarian, always asking those penetrating questions that make you squirm……she is a librarian that has learned what makes the Recreation Sector tick…….

Agnes has been creative, innovative, a problem solver, a collaborator & always coaxing the best out of us as a Board.

She has made an outstanding contribution to our Sector, the Province of Ontario and to Canada.

In a few days Agnes is going to step away from all this excitement, and try on the R word.

The award presented to LIN is really recognition for the contribution of this incredible woman.

Please join me in wishing Agnes Croxford a long and active life as a Zoomer.

Best wishes to PRO for the next 20 years.