RECreate Grant

Parents and local partners of Genesis Place have shared concern that there is a dearth of opportunities for children with Autism in Airdrie. This lack of opportunity has been exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the reasons children with Autism do not participate in organized sport is because they do not have the appropriate fundamental movement skills to participate in mainstream sport programs. The purpose of the Fun Inc.! program is to give kids with Autism an opportunity to participate in a physical literacy based program which will allow them to develop the fundamental movement skills critical to enjoying lifelong physical activity.

By creating spaces and trails within the community, people both young and old will be motivated to explore and connect to nature during COVID. The Dene Tha’ Circle Park is a circular pond located in Chateh, and it is a two-minute walk from the Dene Tha’ Community School. Students, staff and community members will work together to develop the pond as a natural circular park within the community. The circle has a significant cultural symbol among the people and the park will have a cultural impact among the community members.

Many of the local families and patrons of the Cochrane Public Library have been hit hard by the pandemic. Therefore, they want to provide a barrier-free way for the community to pursue healthy lifestyles from home. With the RECreate Grant, the Cochrane Public Library will be creating the Wellness Lending Library. The latest addition to their growing “Library of Things,” the Wellness Lending Library will offer numerous fun recreation kits for patrons to stay fit, make healthy choices, and be well. By providing a wide variety of recreational activities to the community for free, the Wellness Lending Library will contribute a barrier-free option to get active and stay healthy for Cochrane residents and the surrounding county.

During a previous wellness program, Paintearth ChooseWell conducted a community survey to help determine what the communities within the County of Paintearth would like to see as part of their wellness programming. Yoga and fitness classes were some of the top activities suggested that could be implemented this fall and winter. Paintearth ChooseWell will use the RECreate Grant to offer free yoga and fitness classes for 18+ and 55+ age groups as well as a few one-time classes for youth, while following all COVID regulations.
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Due to COVID, some people are understandably still hesitant to participate in activities with other people outside their ‘bubble’. To help these individuals still be able to access and explore sport and active recreation, the Lethbridge Sport Council plans to assemble and distribute ‘Sport Exploration and Winter Fun Kits’. This will include 12 new kits that families can ‘borrow’ for 5 days at a time for free. The kits will have themes and will include items that will encourage families to spend time being active.

When COVID struck mid march, the Longview A R C Society moved their seniors fitness classes online and, to their surprise, developed a following from surrounding communities. Through these connections they became aware of the negative impact social isolation during this pandemic has had on the mental and physical health of participants. The Longview A R C Society will use the RECreate Grant on technical equipment and ingredients to advance their online offers of free fitness classes with the addition of live-stream cooking and art classes.

With approximately 4000 youth ages 18 years and under who utilize the services of Samson Youth Sport and Development, teaching and connecting youth and other nation members through participation in recreational activities is critical. Samson Youth and Sport Development will offer free survival camps to all community members focused on culturally aligned quarantine projects meant to store and save up on food supplies, create survival games of learning, and engage participants in outdoor activities.

In partnership with Family and Community Services, through the Everybody Gets to Play program, partner resources and local businesses, Strathcona County Recreation, Parks and Culture will be creating activity kits to distribute to low-income families in Strathcona County. These kits will be designed to help the community stay active, while at home or close to home, and throughout the winter. With many families facing financial struggles, stress and anxiety over COVID-19, as well as difficult decisions with careers and schools, physical activity opportunities free of barriers, are more important than ever.
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The Town of Whitecourt will be offering the Access to Fit program designed to meet the needs of individuals experiencing low income and those who must stay isolated during the pandemic. The program includes two components, Access to Fit Online and the Access to Fit Pass. Access to Fit Online offers free functional fitness workouts and nutrition information through their Facebook page and the Access to Fit Pass is a free three month pass to the Allan & Jean Millar Centre available to individuals experiencing low income.