National Recreation Framework Moving Forward

Activity on the National Recreation Framework is moving forward.
The National working group has completed their Terms of Reference and is slowly building a team to address elements of the Framework.

Meanwhile Provinces are starting to grab the challenge and have discussions at Provincial Recreation Conferences or other special events.

Nova Scotia was the first out of the blocks  with their paper "A Shared Strategy for Advancing Recreation in Nova Scotia"

Norm Campbell reports on the SPRA discussion:

"We addressed the Framework at our conference  in a little different manner than I understand some of our counterparts have .

Pre-conference we held what we called a “Wise Thinkers” forum of about 25 individuals from across the province representing large, small, urban and rural communities.  We also included  NGO’s and government reps.  We discussed the Framework and then did some work on identifying roles and responsibilities for implementation and what tools would be needed. In addition we also used data from our recently completed a  Saskatchewan Quality of Life Survey to provide additional information to help guide the discussions. We have hired a consultant who is putting all the info together and helping us design our implementation strategy and toolkit

At the conference we asked the presenters to mention the strategy and where possible use it as the foundation for their presentation.

Notably Jacqueline Onescu did a great job using the Framework in her presentation on Leisure education.   In addition Catherine Gryba made and excellent presentation and used it as the model for communities to follow when developing their strategic plans.  I t was a 2.5 hours presentation  that centred on the Framework.

FYI our ongoing approach is as follows:

·         We have already informed everyone that the Framework has been adopted

·         We have let everyone know they can find it on our website or on the LIN site

·         We are building  it into everything we do  i.e.  We are conducting Rec Board development workshops and the Framework is the model on  which we are asking communities to use when developing their strat plans

·         We are developing retools and advocacy materials that we are going to share with our members.  This will include “Did you Knows”  pages that will provide info on the strategy and ways to use in a one page format.  This will be available in different sector “languages”  so that if we are talking to Health  we will use Health lingo,

Our philosophy is to not worry about getting an entire strategy “in the bag” before we move forward.  We wanted to continue the momentum that was generated last February so we are just adding it into the discussion at points along the way.  We don’t think using a big stick is the right way to go.  Our members think the framework is excellent so we don’t need to spend a lot of energy selling it.  We need to concentrate on showing people how it can be used and then supporting them with tools and messaging.

Hope that helps Punch

Norm"

Bill Wells highlights activities in Alberta

Framework for Recreation in Canada – Pathway to Wellbeing

(Alberta Recreation and Parks Association)

ARPA website and electronic newsletters

A copy of the Framework is available on the ARPA website and is regularly referenced in APRA electronic newsletters.

University of Alberta and Mount Royal University

We are invited to make presentations annually to courses at both universities.

These presentations include the Framework.

Provincial Forum 2015

We invited the ARPA Board, Recreation for Life Board, ARPA staff, our 14 partner organizations and the senior staff in Alberta’s largest 21 municipalities.  Copies of the Framework were provided to the participants.

In the morning we provided an overview of the Framework and the Goals and presented examples of what is currently happening in the Ministry, at the University of Alberta and through the Association that fits within the Framework.

In the afternoon we created an opportunity for everyone to discuss what they are doing or could do that would fit within the Framework.

AUMA Conference

I presented the ARPA session at the AUMA conference and participated in the AUMA conference trade show at which the Framework was a part.

ARPA Conference and Energize workshop

We organized 5 of the 7 streams of workshops around the five goals of the Framework.

We had five Key Note speakers that each spoke to one of the goals.

We invited the senior management from every municipality in Alberta above 1000 people to attend a one day workshop designed around the Framework.  Approximately 100 were in attendance

We provided all 554 delegates to our conference with a copy of the Framework.  We had 100 elected officials in attendance at the conference.  We had delegates from 4 provinces, including Alberta and 1 territory.  We had 40 students in attendance and academics from across North America in a “Connecting Through Research” stream of workshops.

Elected Officials Education Program

AUMA and AAMDC jointly operate a series of courses for elected councils and CAOs.

They do not presently have a course on either recreation or parks.

ARPA now has the resources to develop a course on recreation and a course on parks.

The Framework will figure prominently in these courses.

We will deliver the courses within the AUMA/AAMDC program.

Provincial Forum 2016

We will invite the senior management from every municipality in Alberta above 1000 people to attend a one day workshop designed around the Framework.

Municipal Recreation Engagement Strategy

We have an agreement with the Government of Alberta and promoting the Framework figures prominently as an outcome of the agreement.

CPRA PDC

We have bursaries for 70 participants in the courses this fall and winter from rural, remote and aboriginal communities in Alberta.  The Framework is a part of the courses.

Dr. Karen Lee Presentations

Dr. Karen Lee has been invited to Calgary and Edmonton to speak to a number of groups about her recent report entitled “Active Cities”.   She spoke to City of Calgary’s senior management team (from the City Manager and Directors) and 2 sessions for management level staff and other staff that are involved in this type of initiative.   In addition there were representatives from Alberta Health Services as well and the staff of the Mayor and Councillors offices and ARPA Board and staff.  She spoke to City of Edmonton to city staff and ARPA Board and staff and Government of Alberta staff

Parks Summit 2016 (Framework Goal #3)

The summit is scheduled for April 11^th - 14^th 2016.. Invitations will be sent out prior to Christmas and it is anticipated that speakers will be confirmed by Christmas as well.  The program has been approved.

Geoff Ray comments on the NWTRA initiative so far.

Sorry for the slow reply, we are in the midst of Board meetings and a large conference happening next week.

I would be happy to share our notes from our presentation but I haven't compiled the session notes yet nor have I read through all of them so I don't want to give you a summary at this point in case I misrepresent what was talked about. I expect that this will get this work done at the end of next week when the dust settles and I can forward those out to you both. I have attached what we used as a presentation (largely stolen from the CPRA).

Framework for Recreation in Canada               World Cafe Question Ocr 2/15

Have a great weekend,

Geoff

Many communities across the country are building goals & strategies from NRF into their operational and new Master Plans. No one said it would be easy but with the long term in mind "we" are making progress.

Recreation Canada News will be supporting the NRF and hopefully LIN will be the information hub nationally.