DIRECTION - September 2011 by Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association

SEPTEMBER 2011 | VOLUME 2 | NUMBER 3

S A S K AT C H E W A N PA R K S A N D R E C R E AT I O N A S S O C I AT I O N

SAFETY FIRST!

Creating Safe, Quality Recreation Opportunities

SEPTEMBER 2011 01

SEPTEMBER 2011 | VOLUME 2 | NUMBER 3

SPRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Darrell Lessmeister

Director for Villages Clive Craig

Director at Large Mike Powell

Director for Cities Jasmine Jackman

Director at Large Corrine Galarneau

Director for the North Sandy Rediron

Director for Towns Mike Schwean

Director at Large Mimi Lodoen

SPRA STAFF TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chief Executive Officer Norm Campbell

SPRA CEO’s Report

Program Manager John Firnesz

Warm Weather Safety Challenges

Corporate Services Manager Randy Durovick

Information and Research Services Luella Newman

in Saskatchewan

Playground Inspector Certification Program

Assistant Information Services Chantel Doerksen

Making Places Safe to Play

Lottery Lingo

Prince Albert Bicycle Recycle Program

The Legacy Lives On!

The Heat is On!

Bicycle Valet Project

Let’s Get Our Kids Moving With Active & Safe Routes to School The Time is Right for Smoke-free Outdoor Places

HIGH FIVE® - A Quality Standard for Children’s Sport and Recreation Programs Events Grants and Funding SPRA Commercial Members

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DIRECTION is published four times a year (December, March, June and September).

Communications Consultant Lori Ross RECREATION CONSULTANTS: Grants and Funding Lee Anne Balliett Parks and Open Spaces Barry Rogers Physical Activity and Fitness Wendy McKellar

Aboriginal Support Tim Haywahe Leadership and Evaluation Karen Thompson Recreation Facilities Kelly Skotnitsky Recreation Field Consultant - Physical Activity Kelly Woods FIELD CONSULTANTS: Swift Current Richie Bleau Rosetown/North Battleford Kerry Bailey Prince Albert Rob Boulding ADMINISTRATION: Business Administrator Bonnie Thiessen

Half-Time Business Administrator Travis Blanchard Executive Assistant Lois McNaught Administrative Technician Ryan Monks Administrative Assistant II Paula Lichtenwald Administrative Assistant I Amanda Rieger Half-Time Administrative Assistant I Donna Matheson

Phone: (306) 780-9231 or 1-800-563-2555 Fax: (306) 780-9257 www.spra.sk.ca

in motion STAFF

The publication is provided to members of the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association. Direct all communications to: Editor, DIRECTION #100 - 1445 Park Street Regina, Saskatchewan S4N 4C5 You may also send letters or comments to Lori Ross, Communications Consultant at 306.780.9370, by fax at 306.780.9257, or by email at lross@spra.sk.ca. Articles within this magazine are the opinions of the authour(s) and do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of SPRA. Articles in DIRECTION may be reprinted, provided that full credits are shown for the author and the magazine. 01 SEPTEMBER 2011

Manager Cathie Kryzanowski

Consultant Graham Richardson

Manager Community and Target Strategies Marnie Sinclair

Communications Consultant Kim Herperger

Manager - Marketing and Communications Christine Niemczyk Consultant Nicole Yacishyn

Communications Assistant Julie Chabot Thoring Executive Assistant Nicole Shewchuk

Administrative Assistant Natalie Schwartz

Phone: (306) 780-9248 or 1-866-888-3648 Fax: (306) 780-9466 www.saskatchewaninmotion.ca

SPRA CEO’S REPORT Recreation workers and practitioners dedicate their time to the service of others. By assuming that responsibility we are also assuming the responsibility to make sure that the public we serve enjoy themselves in an environment that is safe, and free from significant risk of injury. This part of our job is Norm Campbell not as easy to accomplish as SPRA CEO some may perceive. Creating safe, quality recreation opportunities is an ongoing process that requires working with care, caring for our work, knowing and understanding our moral and legal responsibilities and taking reasonable steps to ensure we carry out those responsibilities in a quick and timely manner. For many, especially those responsible for organizing large public events or operating major recreation facilities, this can be a daunting and challenging task. It is tempting to take a “what I don’t know, won’t hurt me mentality.” But this approach is a mistake with potentially disastrous outcomes and ignorance. Pleading ignorance is not acceptable. When the doors to a facility are opened to the public or registrations for a program are accepted, the organization responsible for operations must ensure that the premises and participants are safe. Each day that we provide programs and services we are confronted with a certain level of risk. We must be able to identify the potential problems before they occur and to implement the changes necessary to mitigate the possibility of someone getting hurt. The development of a comprehensive risk management program can provide a logical and systematic process that organizations can follow to prepare themselves and their staff in exercising due diligence in program and service delivery.

Risk management is a common sense approach to doing our work. It is “a decision making process to deal with the unfavourable results from possible incidents or accidents.”1 One of the key components in the development of a risk management plan is to review, and where necessary, modify existing plans and operating procedures to make them safer for the users and paid employees. A risk management plan not only helps protect the public from injury and harm, but also helps prevent the loss of organization’s resources from accidents. Ask yourself when the last time you performed an operational risk assessment on your operations. Have you compared your operations with others in the field? In the event of an emergency does all your staff know what to do? Do you have an updated list and operating instructions for safety equipment? Is your staff adequately trained in their use? If you answered “NO” to any of these questions you may be putting you, your organization and your community at risk. Take action now to ensure that your operations are safe. Review your programs to guarantee that you have regular maintenance routines, that you keep good records, employ well trained staff and have developed comprehensive emergency action plans. Establish simple up-to-date policies and procedures to govern the operation of your services and confirm that everyone involved is aware of and understands them. Contact your local insurance company and inquire about the risk assessment services. There are a number of ways to assess your exposure to risk. Accidents are unpredictable and can happen at any time and by taking action now, you are protecting yourself and your clients from possible injury or worse. Reducing their exposure to risk is one of the most important services we can provide for our users. And it’s as easy as getting started. 1

ORFA Safe Facility Operation Train the Trainer Manual

SEPTEMBER 2011

WARM WEATHER SAFETY CHALLENGES Read on to learn how to deal with the challenges of the warm weather seasons - from severe weather storms to heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

Here in Saskatchewan the Sport, Culture and Recreation organizations offer everything from residential and day camps to elite sporting events. We provide for a wide variety of choice to families and our attention to ensuring that those activities are delivered in a safe and respectful environment leads the nation. But warm weather seasons can also pose some additional risks to participant safety that responsible leaders, coaches and organizers must attend to. The first challenge or risk comes from severe weather storms – specifically electrical storms. Any youth or children participating or competing during the warm weather months may be exposed to this potentially dangerous situation. Exposure to electrical storms is a risk for all organized outdoor activities including soccer, baseball, camping, hiking, canoe/kayaking and golf. Golf is one of the highest risk activities with a number of players in North America suffering lightning-related injuries ranging from severe burns to death, annually. For example; on one day in 2007, 7 different teenage golfers were taken to hospital in the Ottawa region with injuries caused by lightning (Ottawa Citizen July 11, 2007). Scuba divers, baseball players and cyclists have all been killed by lightning strikes. All outdoor sport involvement can certainly increase the risk of exposure to lightning but, annually, hikers, campers and boaters suffer the highest number of injuries and death. Organizations should be familiar with the 30-30 rule of lightning safety; when you can count 30 seconds or less between 02

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lightning and thunder, head for safe shelter and remain sheltered for 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder. Environment Canada and the Sport Information Resource Centre of Canada are providing wallet-sized cards on lightning safety and the 30-30 rule to interested organizations. They can be ordered at: http://www.sirc.ca/online_resources/weather.cfm. Sport and Recreation groups need to have comprehensive policies on lightning safety. These policies should begin with some level of education for all and information for the adults in care as to the dangers of lightning exposure and the duty of care owed by responsible adults (coaches, leaders, directors, etc.) to children and youth. Many organizations have extreme weather policies but they are limited in scope, narrowly define the problem and lack sufficient guidance for responsible adults. There are a number of model policies (templates) that sport and recreation groups might want to look at adapting. One of the best has been created by the College of William and Mary’s Division of Sports Medicine. The second seasonal challenge involves adult responsibility to monitor and mitigate the effects of heat on those taking part in our programming. While the potentially harmful effects of heat are general to all warm weather activities and sports – particular attention needs to be given to those that require prolonged high level cardiovascular stress like track, distance running and sports or activities that involve wearing restrictive equipment (like football) or carrying additional weight such as overnight hiking and camping.

Heat stroke and heat exhaustion can occur as an unintentional consequence of outdoor activities in sport and recreation where adults in care and athletes/participants fail to attend to the conditions, the need for protection and hydration and the warning signs of a potential health concern. But, heat stroke can also result from deliberate negligence by adults in care who push young athletes and participants to the edge of their physical endurance and beyond. Examples of this latter category include coaches who induce repetitive physical exercise as a form of punishment/discipline (shuttles, laps, push-ups) without attending to the heat and coaches or leaders who deliberately deny athletes access to hydration. Camp counsellors, playleaders, coaches, managers and trainers (among others) should familiarize themselves with the warning signs and symptoms of heat related illness. This includes some of those early warning signs like muscle cramps, feeling faint or dizzy, headaches, overall fatigue and sweating accompanied by cold or clammy skin. One approach to avoiding heat illness is to follow the S.M.A.R.T. system. SMART stands for: S = Schedule workouts and activities carefully to avoid the highest temperatures M = Monitor high risk athletes, campers and participants (ones who have been recently ill or have suffered an injury)

T = Think about emergency procedures to cool athletes or participants who may suffer heat illness. From Sport Science Exchange Volume 19 (2006) Number 3. To learn more about the symptoms of heat illness and emergency steps that can be taken; sport and recreation organizers are encouraged to visit the Sport Information Resource Centre SIRC at www.sirc.ca and search for their June 2011 Special Edition Newsletter. Anticipating issues and areas of concern and doing our best to ensure that they do not happen to our children and youth is what Risk Management is all about. Planning for dealing with severe weather and preventing heat stroke to our participants is all of our responsibility.

Bruce Wood, M.A. Support Line Coordinator, Canadian Red Cross 1-866-773-5777 or rdcross@sasktel.net The Support Line for Sport, Culture and Recreation responds to calls about abuse, harassment, bullying and hazing in organized activities for children and youth. The line is resourced by the Canadian Red Cross and has been offering support, resources and education to members of Sask Sport, Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association and SaskCulture since 2002. Adult callers can reach the line at 1-866-773-5777 or by email at rdcross@sasktel.net.

A = Acclimate and Adjust workouts and clothing to the environment R = Recover and Replenish. Recover in cool conditions for a long enough time to reduce body temperature, and remember to drink during exercise to replenish fluids and electrolytes. SEPTEMBER 2011

LET’S GET OUR KIDS MOVING WITH ACTIVE & SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL When children and youth walk or bike to school, they need to do so in a safe and secure environment. That’s what Active & Safe Routes to School (ASRTS) is all about. ASRTS covers everything from neighbourhood safety, to sidewalk conditions, to driver education and much more. With less than 15% of Saskatchewan children and youth meeting the daily physical activity guidelines, active transportation to and from school is an excellent way to get our kids moving. The 2011 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth shows that only 24% of students use active transportation to get to and from school. Typically on school days during peak periods such as before and after school hours, a large amount of motorists dropping off or picking up students is very evident. This high level of traffic leads to a variety of safety and health concerns including increased traffic congestion, lowered levels of physical activity, increased air pollution and decreased visibility of pedestrians, just to name a few. ASRTS helps alleviate these concerns. If the environment surrounding a school is designed for and encourages more children and youth to be able to walk, bike, rollerblade or skateboard to school, the number of students using active transportation will increase. Some of the benefits with ASRTS are: Increases in fitness levels of children and youth Increases in academic performance Increases in social interactions among peers before and after school Decreases in the number of traffic related accidents and congestion around the school Greater sense of community throughout the school and safety in the neighbourhood Lower levels of green house gas emissions 04

JUNE 2011

CHILDREN’S MOBILITY HEALTH AND HAPPINESS - A CANADIAN SCHOOL TRAVEL PLANNING PROJECT In Saskatchewan, there are 10 schools taking part in a twoyear National pilot project. This project, coordinated by Saskatchewan in motion, examines the neighbourhood around a school and identifies initiatives that can be undertaken to increase the number of students using active transportation to get to and from school. In the first year, data is collected via surveys on how students get to and from school, as well as parents’ perception of their neighbourhood, safety, distance from the school and several other factors. The data is analyzed by an in-house school committee, and then school specific initiatives are identified and goals are set for implementation during the second year of the pilot project. At the end of the second year, data is again collected to determine the success of the new initiatives for ASRTS. According to Tracey Briggs, coordinator for Regina and Moose Jaw, there are two goals associated with the program. “The first goal is to get kids more active, to increase their daily level of physical activity. Secondly, to decrease the amount of traffic in front of and surrounding the schools. On school days, it can be very chaotic. Safety is a major buy-in for parents when they are considering activities for their children, whether that activity is participating in an organized sport, walking or cycling to and from school.” Empire Community School in Moose Jaw is one of the schools that have been participating in the pilot. Empire’s

committee, along with the Prairie South School Division and the City of Moose Jaw are working towards several initiatives that support and increase safe routes for students to take to and from school. Some of their initiatives include repainting crosswalk road lines, placement of proper street signage, removal of foliage that covers existing street signs, and the creation of a walking path and alternate drop off/pick up area to redirect traffic from the front of the school.

PLAN ACTIVE & SAFE ROUTES IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD Active & safe routes should be implemented in all neighbourhoods so every child can use active transportation to get to where they need to go, such as local recreation centres, green spaces, neighbourhood convenience stores, and friends’ houses. We all have a role to play in making physical activity the easy choice for our kids. Here are some simple actions that can be utilized to ensure kids are moving for 60 minutes every day: Organize a walking school bus in your neighbourhood Create designated drop off zones or idle free zones in front of facilities Develop and distribute acknowledgements to encourage shovelling sidewalks in winter Promote driver education on speed limits, crosswalks, etc.

TAKE ACTION! No parking sign in front of the school that is obscured from view by trees.

According to Briggs, “By making the students’ ability to walk or cycle to and from school safer, our hope is that more students - and parents - will choose this healthier option.”

Create active and safe routes for the children and youth that you care about. For more information on Active & Safe Routes to School, visit: www.saskatchewaninmotion.ca/issues/active-safe-routes for-kids www.saferoutestoschool.ca

Graham Richardson Saskatchewan in motion 1-866-888-3648 www.saskatchewaninmotion.ca

A faded crosswalk in front of the school. SEPTEMBER 2011

THE TIME IS RIGHT FOR SMOKE-FREE OUTDOOR PLACES IN SASKATCHEWAN The times are changing. It wasn’t that long ago that smoking was allowed almost everywhere - in workplaces, bars, restaurants and more. But public attitudes are evolving. More and more Canadians are less tolerant of being exposed to second hand smoke, and less are willing to let their children be exposed. As a result, there is a growing appetite for smoke-free sports fields, playgrounds, outdoor patios, parks, stadiums, beaches and restaurant and bar patios. A number of Canadian cities have responded to this by adopting bylaws to ban smoking in outdoor areas. Here in Saskatchewan provincial legislation establishes 3-meter smoke-free zones around doorways, windows and air intakes of public buildings, and prohibits smoking in cars carrying children. However, this legislation does not extend to other outdoor places. A handful of municipalities have smoke-free bylaws that include outdoor spaces including Saskatoon which banned smoking on all outdoor restaurant and bar patios back in 2005. Why are smoke-free outdoor places important? Some people think that because the smoke is outdoors the chemicals are dispersed and not harmful to people. This belief is NOT supported by evidence. Research shows that the level of fine particulate matter from tobacco smoke may be as high as indoor levels, depending on the number of smokers in a particular space, wind speed, and physical barriers such as walls and patio umbrellas.

mitting smoking at sports fields is at best a contradiction in terms of promoting healthy, active behaviours, and at worst, suggests to children that smoking is socially acceptable. Littering is also a consideration and these factors together have led some groups such as soccer and baseball associations to completely ban tobacco at their venues. Saskatchewan’s Tobacco Control Act gives municipalities the authority to adopt smoke-free bylaws that are more restrictive than provincial legislation. You can learn more about how other municipalities have tackled this issue and how you can advocate within your community or sports group to create a smoke-free policy, at www.tobaccotoolkit.ca, a joint initiative of the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society. Rhae Ann Bromley, Heart and Stroke Foundation and Donna Pasiechnik, Canadian Cancer Society Make smoke-free the norm in your Saskatchewan community.

Dr. James Repace, a world-renowned air quality expert has conducted experiments in a variety of outdoor settings. His studies found that fine particulate levels in tobacco smoke do not decrease to background levels until about 7 m from the source.1 There are other benefits as well. Many sports organizations – up to and including the International Olympic Committee – are now banning smoking completely from sporting fields and events. This is particularly important for young athletes. Per06

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tobaccotoolkit.ca 1 Repace JL. Fact sheet: Outdoor air pollution from secondhand smoke.(2008).

PLAYGROUND INSPECTOR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM The Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA) offers the Canadian Certified Playground Inspector certification program through the Canadian Playground Safety Institute (CPSI). Four-day sessions are being offered by CPSI in various regions across Canada for participants who wish to complete the playground inspector certification training. Only individuals who complete the CPSI Theory and CPSI Practical courses and achieve passing grades on both exams are considered to be Canadian Certified Playground Inspectors. During these sessions, each of the two courses will consist of 1-1/2 days of training and a two hour exam. The Canadian Certified Playground Inspector status is valid for a three year period and can be renewed by completing a recertification exam either online or in the classroom.

THEORY AND PRACTICAL COURSE The Theory course helps individuals thoroughly understand the Canadian playspace safety standard from CAN/CSA Z614 “Children’s Playspaces and Equipment” and the Practical course teaches participants how to conduct a hands-on inspection/audit of a playspace. Individuals who only want to take either the Theory course or Practical course are welcome to attend these sessions. However, the Theory course is a prerequisite for the Practical course. Practical course participants must have completed the Theory course during the first two-days of these sessions, or within the preceding 12 months either at another classroom location or online.

ARE YOU DUE FOR RECERTIFICATION? Inspectors with recently, or soon to be, expired certifications, can renew by taking a Practical course to brush up on their knowledge and then writing the classroom recertification exam. If you are recertifying, please indicate your intent by marking the Practical course and Recertification exam boxes on the registration form. If you prefer to recertify by writing the online Recertification exam, contact us at cpsi@cpsionline.ca and we’ll get you the registration form you will need.

UPCOMING COURSE Moose Jaw, SK Theory dates: November 1 - 2, 2011 Practical dates: November 3 - 4, 2011 For additional information or to register, visit the SPRA website at www.spra.sk.ca/playgroundinspection.

FOR MORE INFORMATION WHO SHOULD TAKE THESE COURSES? This training is designed for owner/operators, health inspectors, day-care staff, maintenance/public works staff for schools, municipalities, housing complexes and other areas that contain public playspaces, private inspectors and contractors, manufacturers, installers, parks staff, insurance agents, etc.

If you have questions, contact CPSI by email at cpsi@cpsionline.ca or toll-free at 1-877-536-2338. Visit the CPSI website at www.cpsionline.ca.

SEPTEMBER 2011

MAKING PLACES SAFE TO PLAY Making places safe to play is a shared responsibility. The task is about preparing for and managing the risks of play and the play environment.

When we are protected from real or perceived harm, we feel safe. Usually this means that recognized hazards are controlled to achieve our acceptable level of risk. What is regarded safe is not only gauged by personal assessment, it is often set by standards, norms and experience. Safety and security in public places are an expectation in our society. As park and recreation facility managers, we have both a legal and moral responsibility to provide as safe a place to play as possible. However, this responsibility is not ours alone. Our often over indulgent, litigation prone and lack of personal responsibility society has an equal responsibility. A park and recreation manager’s first job is to ensure the venue is properly designed and maintained. They along with staff and users including children, parents and other adults have a role in how, when and by whom the venue is used. Safe places to play result if these considerations are made by all stakeholders. For example, if poorly maintained perimeter swimming pool fencing allowed after-hours access to a group of kids who chose to do so and a fatal drowning occurred, who would be to blame? Would it be the owner of the pool, the manager of the pool, the kids, the victim who couldn’t swim, the parents or guardians or all of the above? We’ve seen cases like this and the answer is not simple. Even though play can occur any place, any time and by anybody often leaving true safety relevant to the circumstance, park and recreation managers must have safety as a number one priority. They must understand that to provide safe 08

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places to play, there are four determining factors. These are: environment, activity, users and outside forces. The environment includes the design, construction and maintenance of physical space and its equipment and supporting systems (i.e. air, water, lighting, heat/cold). Are standards met? Are regular inspections made? Are proper records kept? Is staff properly and adequately trained? Are safety procedures and response plans in place? Are safety, security and monitoring systems and equipment effective? The activity is about the play itself. This involves decisions and responses by the venue management, staff and users. What are the inherent risks of the activity, is a fundamental question to start with. Whether climbing a tree in a park on your own or a man-made apparatus in a supervised program at a playground or gym, they have the same possibilities. It could be a successful experience making it up to the top or a hard lesson if you fall to the ground. Choice is involved with these experiences. The climber’s physical and mental development and abilities are choice considerations as well as his/ her skills/training/previous experience; the height and degree of difficulty of the climbing challenge; amount of supervision/ assistance; weather conditions; time of year; distractions; peer pressure. A decision has to be made about letting the play occur and how safe it is or is not. Who makes the decision? Does the manager of the venue, the supervisor of the program, the parent or guardian, the individual?

The users include more than just the individual who wants to play. It encompasses his/her parents or guardian, and other peers and adults in the venue. Sometimes we have to be protected from what we may do to ourselves and all others around can help. Safe places to play are also places where bullying and dangers from peer pressure are minimized and game rules are respected by users and enforced by officials to prevent injury and intimidation. Safety awareness, information and education are aspects of preparing to play. Children should be encouraged to play from an early age onward. Providing opportunities, teaching skills and reinforcing safety as well as fun will cultivate the attitude and abilities for active living.

LOTTERY LINGO $75,000 LOTTERY SCRATCH ’N WIN WINNER Simon Jobb won $75,000 playing a CANASTA SCRATCH ’N WIN lottery ticket. It was the first CANASTA ticket he had ever bought! The Southend, Saskatchewan resident purchased the ticket simply because it was a game that he had never seen. “I bought the ticket and then went for lunch,” said Simon. “While I was waiting for my lunch, I scratched the ticket. I thought it could be a winner but I wasn’t too sure because it was my first time playing it.”

The reality of outside forces be they human or environmental, has made many parents, educators and park and recreation facility managers over protective of children and youth. The media has fueled this attitude by publicizing the rarest of unfortunate happenings as frequent and common occurrences. Safety and security requires monitoring of visitor motives and behavior. The concerns range from kidnapping, child abuse and molesting, sexual assault, distribution of drugs, robbery, mugging, hate crimes, terrorism.

After lunch he handed the ticket to the retailer for further verification. When the retailer showed him the amount he’d won, Simon thought to himself, “This is GREAT!”

Outside environmental forces can be man-made such as human interference, explosions and vehicles or natural such as fire, flood and wind. Unfortunately, life happens. We don’t live in a bubble and we don’t want hide in our homes. Playing is a part of the pleasure of living. All safety stakeholders need to be vigilant for the unexpected event, but not paralyzed to play because the event could occur. Organizations should be prepared for as many situations as reasonable in a rapid response plan.

$75,000 WIN CLEAR AS A BELL FOR DUNDURN WOMAN! Beverley Grylls rung in a win when she uncovered a bell on her LUCKY LINES SCRATCH ’N WIN ticket. That was the last symbol she needed to win the $75,000 Top Prize!

Making places safe to play is a shared responsibility. The task is about preparing for and managing the risks of play and the play environment. This important task cannot just be left to park and recreation facility managers and staff or conversely, to users. Play is about pleasant and enjoyable activities. In play activities, acceptable and managed risks are experienced that develop and test the human mind, body and spirit. Let’s be sure to do our part as providers of play places.

“I scratched a BINGO ticket first,” she said. “I won $3.” Then Beverley started to scratch the LUCKY LINES ticket. As she began to uncover the last of her symbols, she realized she was one away from completing a diagonal line.

Barry Rogers SPRA Consultant - Parks and Open Spaces

The lucky $4 ticket was purchased at the Country North Confectionery, located at 111 Brown Street in La Ronge. Simon said he plans to use the winnings to buy a muchneeded new truck – that might now be a little nicer than what was originally planned.

Beverley went to Mountain View Food & Fuel Store in her home town of Dundurn and picked up her usual tickets. She had $4 left over and decided to buy the last $4 LUCKY LINES ticket in the display case.

“I said aloud, ‘Wow, I need the bell for $75,000’, never once dreaming that it would happen,” she said. “When I saw the bell, I was shocked! Once my eyes cleared and the fog lifted from my head, I went on scratching the other tickets,” she laughed. Beverley put the ticket aside, but kept looking at it to make sure it really was a winner. Beverley plans to bank her windfall.

SEPTEMBER 2011

PRINCE ALBERT BICYCLE RECYCLE PROGRAM The Prince Albert Active Transportation Committee, community Bicycle Recycle Program has been “peddling” along for the past three years, 2009 - 2011.

The Prince Albert Active Transportation Committee, community Bicycle Recycle Program has been “peddling” along for the past three years, 2009 - 2011. The program runs every spring from April to July. To date, more than 150 bikes have been repaired and distributed to community organizations, who then give the bikes to individuals needing a bike for transportation and/or recreation use. This has increased physical activity opportunities for children, youth, adults and families in our community. The program has really been about being green and increasing physical activity! The main outcomes that have been achieved through the program are: Providing bikes and helmets to children, youth and families Increased active transportation and safe recreation opportunities for children, youth and families Decreasing the number of reusable bikes going to the landfill The program begins every spring in conjunction with the City of Prince Albert “Pitch in Campaign”, where we advertise for donations of gently used bikes that can be repaired by the Bicycle Recycle program. The donated bikes are received and housed at the Prince Albert Habitat for Humanity – Restore. 10

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Community organizations that work with children, youth and families can make application to receive bikes from the program. When the bikes are allotted to the successful applicants they also receive a helmet, helmet fitting guide and rules of the road safety information. Bike safety sessions have been provided to the applicant organizations through the local Acquired Brain Injury Partnership, Education & Prevention coordinator. In building sustainability into the program, work is ongoing to engage youth in the repairing of the bikes. Through the Bicycle Recycle Program partnerships, Vincent Massey Community School and the Bernice Sayese Centre, has had community volunteers working with youth to learn basic bike maintenance and repairs. This past year a youth was hired to repair the bikes.

Their stories . . . “My family is from Sudan and we now live in Prince Albert. Since receiving a bike, I am now able to get to school (to learn English) and to work more easily. My children now have bikes to go to school and to play with their friends.” Prince Albert Newcomer

“I can now hang out with my friends as I have a bike, too”. Youth Mental Health Outreach “We now have a summer bicycle club where the kids learn about healthy living and exercise, cooperation, bike safety and responsibility, bike rules and etiquette on the multi-use trail (Rotary Trail) and caring for nature/environment around us.” Community Club Programmer

Acquired Brain Injury Partnership, Education & Prevention Lakeland District for Sport, Culture and Recreation Prince Albert Daily Herald

COMMUNITY FUNDING PARTNERSHIPS City of Prince Albert Urban Aboriginal Community Grant

KEY COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS Habitat for Humanity - ReStore Fresh Air Experience Gene’s Sport Excellence Cooperative Health Centre

SGI/ABI Community Grant Prince Albert Parkland Health Region, Health Promotion Peggi-Lynn Gatin Health Promotion Coordinator Prince Albert Parkland Health Region Photo courtesy of the Prince Albert Daily Herald.

Prince Albert Parkland Health Region, Health Promotion

THE LEGACY LIVES ON! Things have changed a lot since 1985 but don’t let the big teased hairdos and acid wash denim fashions that defined that era overshadow the developments in the field of recreation. To refresh your memories, educate the field and continue the recreation legacy, the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association is excited to be launching a book commemorating the last 25 years of recreation achievements in Saskatchewan. Due out this fall, the book picks up where the previous history book, Saskatchewan’s Recreation Legacy, by Roy Ellis and Elva Nixon, ended in 1985. From the crazy costumes at RecFest to the thoughtful reflections on our future, the upcoming book is an opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments and honor you - the people and volunteers that make it happen!

Stay tuned for the launch at the 2011 SPRA Conference and AGM in Saskatoon!

SEPTEMBER 2011

THE HEAT IS ON!

10 SCOUTING CAMPING TIPS TO KEEP YOU WARM AT NIGHT We may not want to think about it, but we are heading into the fall and winter months. Here are some tips on how to keep warm at night while camping in chilly temperatures! 1. INSULATE UNDERNEATH YOU The ground is cold therefore you will lose body heat if you are in contact with it. Stay on a foam pad or closed-cell selfinflating pad. You can also use blankets, piles of newspaper, small evergreen tree boughs or a piece of carpet. Do not use a blow-up air mattress in cold weather as they only increase the amount of air that you need to heat up in order to stay warm.

2. FLUFF UP YOUR BAG Always fluff up your sleeping bag before using it. Making it thicker will keep you warmer. Be sure to unroll the bag several minutes before crawling in.

3. DO NOT SLEEP WITH YOUR HEAD IN THE SLEEPING BAG

morning and also provides more insulation. These articles should remain in plastic until you are ready to wear them.

6. VENTILATE YOUR TENT Leave the back or top flaps of your tent open about 10 centimetres. This will allow the moisture from your breath to escape out of the tent and not collect on the sides. Closing the tent up will not keep it warmer.

7. EAT BEFORE BEDDING DOWN Eating a high calorie food (ie. nuts, cheese, etc.) before you go to bed will increases your metabolism, helping keep you warm. Your stomach is your furnace and will generate heat while you sleep. No food in the tent though, critters still prowl for food in winter.

Your breath contains moisture. If you close your bag with your head inside the bag will get wet and you will be cold.

8. GO TO THE BATHROOM BEFORE BED

4. WEAR A SKI HAT TO BED

This saves you a trip in the middle of the night, keeping the heat in your sleeping bag. However, if you wake up in the night with a full bladder, get up and empty it. You waste body heat keeping a full bladder warm.

Body heat is lost through exposed skin. Wool, fleece, or acrylic hats are best. A full face hat works as well.

9. DRINK WATER 5. CLOTHES Never sleep in wet clothes or clothes that you have worn during the day as perspiration will chill you at night. Put your sleeping clothes together in a plastic bag and store them in your sleeping bag until needed and lay them out to dry before repacking. Before you sleep, put tomorrow’s dry clothes under your bag. This heats up clothes for tomorrow’s cold 12

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Dehydration can seriously impair the body’s ability to produce heat. Drink fluids as often as possible during the day and keep a small water bottle or canteen with you at night.

10. TENT PLACEMENT Cold air sinks, so whenever possible, place your tent in a lo-

cation that will catch the sunrise in the morning. This will help melt ice, evaporate frost or dew and warm your tent. Place your campsite on slightly higher ground than the rest of your surroundings and choose a protected site if it is snowing or the wind is blowing.

For more information on Scouts Canada or to find a group in your area, visit www.skscouts.ca.

Eileen Janowski Operations Manager Scouts Canada - Saskatchewan Provincial Council

Outdoor adventure has always been a fundamental part of the Scouting experience. Scouts Canada believes that the outdoors provides an ideal setting for personal growth and recreation and that every participant must be offered the opportunity to participate in these activities in a fun, challenging and safe way. Scouts Canada programming offers opportunities for youth to learn and grow through handson experiences that include outdoor activities, survival and first aid training and leadership development.

BICYCLE VALET PROJECT A great new addition to many of the provinces largest festivals can be found this summer in Saskatoon. Roadmap Saskatoon is, for the second year in a row, fronting the Bicycle Valet project. This provides an attended and secure fenced off area where festival patrons can store their bicycles while visiting the grounds. The Valet has as a goal to encourage festival patrons and their families to choose alternative means of transportation when traveling to and from the site. Run by both Staff Members and Volunteers, the Valet can usually hold up to 150 bicycles at once. It is said to run a lot like a coat check, where your bike is exchanged for a numbered claim tag to be redeemed when the bicycle is returned. The service is free to users and offers several benefits to the festival organizers, to the community and to the individual cyclist: When more people choose to commute by bike, by rollerblade or by skateboard it reduces vehicle congestion, pollution and general disruption caused by vehicles in a primarily pedestrian zone.

providing this service, the Valet is essentially removing all the barriers that were previously discouraging festival attendees from cycling to their destination.

Providing this service also allows for a safer, more enjoyable festival: the amount of cycling on pedestrian paths is diminished and accidents are reduced. Active transportation initiatives such as this one fall hand in hand with the actions necessary to build healthier, stronger communities not to mention the resulting environmental gains. In providing such a service, the incidence of bicycle theft and vandalism disappears for those who park their bikes at the Valet. In

Roadmap Saskatoon for Sustainable cities was founded in 2004; the Bicycle Valet is just one of its initiatives. To find out more about what Roadmap does, visit our website at www.roadmapsaskatoon.com.

As a consequence, the festival site is made a safer, more inviting, convenient event for those who regularly travel by bicycle or for those who would like to try it. So far, our numbers have doubled in comparison to last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s count. This year alone, we have parked well over 4,000 bicycles, and we hope to see this tally increase with every event, with every year. Saskatoon has great parks and public spaces: what better way to enjoy them than by bicycle than in a harmless, controlled and positive setting?

Paulette Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Eon Bicycle Valet Coordinator - Roadmap Saskatoon (306) 477-9145 or bicyclevalet@roadmapsaskatoon.com SEPTEMBER 2011

HIGH FIVE® Who doesn’t think that they are running safe and quality recreation programs? The question is… what is QUALITY? Whose definition of quality is right? The dictionary lists it as “the degree or grade of excellence”, that didn’t do it justice for me. I “googled” quality program and the only definition that came up was “A program that is correct, reliable, efficient, maintainable, flexible, testable, portable, and reusable”. It is a scientific definition! So, does this means that we are recreation scientists? In Saskatchewan there are minimal to no standards for providing recreational opportunities for children. Those of us with experience have taught new front line leaders based on our experience and ideas of what a quality program should look like. The missing link? We have fantastic research on the benefits of participating in a safe and quality recreation programs but how do we prove that our program is safe and does produce those benefits? Attendance? Smiley faces? These are still very useful but they don’t give our organizations or programs credibility. Credibility is what HIGH FIVE® can give you! HIGH FIVE® takes the guesswork out of defining and creating safe and quality recreation opportunities. It’s Canada’s only comprehensive quality standard for organizations providing recreation and sport to children aged 6 to 12. Research shows the experiences children have in recreation and sport at an early age carry a lifelong impact. Positive experiences help children become capable, caring adults who contribute more effectively to the community in the future. HIGH FIVE® has two streams of training. The first is the Principals of Healthy Childhood Development for front line leaders. It is based on research that shows us that in order to run a safe and quality recreation program the 5 principals of healthy childhood development - A Caring Adult, Friends, Play, Mastery, and Participation - need to be present. What makes HIGH FIVE® unique is its ability to be relevant to all leaders regardless of how much experience they have. The second stream is QUEST - Quality Experience Scanning Tools - for supervisors/managers. QUEST gives organizations the ability to measure the experience children are getting in the recreational programs they provide. 14

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Boys & Girls Clubs of Saskatoon has been involved with HIGH FIVE® since 2008. We have seen major improvements in the quality of programs we run. Children are getting a high quality experience. QUEST is so versatile that we use it on all programs, from Summer Day Camps to Drop In! Decreased workloads for senior management and common sense training for front line leaders are big selling features! Not to mention the affordability of the training, it has paid off when you consider the credibility we have gained in the community because we do provide quality programs. HIGH FIVE® has also made employment with us very attractive by giving front line leaders a training certificate that can be put on their resume. As Recreation Scientists, we want to be able to prove we are running safe and quality recreation programs. No more making up evaluations to prove what we think defines quality recreation opportunities. HIGH FIVE® is versatile and applicable to all children’s programs. It takes the work out of being accountable to participating children, parents, management and funders. HIGH FIVE® has done the research and the lab work for us “scientists”, now all we have to do is use the program that will give us a reliable, flexible, testable, safe and quality recreational experience for our children. For additional information on HIGH FIVE® visit www.highfive.org.

Heidi Carl HIGH FIVE® Master Trainer

EVENTS OCTOBER 20 - 22, 2011 SPRA Conference and Annual General Meeting

NOVEMBER 11 - 12, 2011 Saskatchewan Green Trades Conference

Saskatoon, SK

The 2011 Conference and AGM will bring together recreation

This Conference will explore “Trends Affecting Urban Parks,

practitioners, parks and facility operators and volunteers from

Open Space and Landscaping”. Topics being discussed

across the Province to learn the latest information and trends

include: Improved Grounds Maintenance; Best Practices

in the parks and recreation field. Look for the Conference

for Landscape Construction; Planting and Care of Trees

Flyer available in this edition of DIRECTION. For additional

and Shrubs in the Prairie Environment; Understanding and

information, visit www.spra.sk.ca/conference.

Responding to Demographic, Social and Economic Trends, Skateboard and BMX Parks; Growing Community Gardens;

NOVEMBER 4 - 6, 2011

Turf Selection and Care for Urban Places; and Communities in Bloom. For additional information, visit www.sgtc.ca.

SaskFit Regina, SK The SaskFit Conference has provided quality professional development and education training for over 20 years and

For more events, visit the SPRA website at www.spra.sk.ca/events or visit Events Saskatchewan at www.saskevents.com.

continues to be highly respected as the Premier Fitness Leadership Conference in the Province.

GRANTS AND FUNDING SPRA VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT GRANT Application deadlines: October 1, 2011 and March 1, 2012 The purpose of the SPRA Volunteer Leadership Development Grant is to assist Active Members of SPRA in developing recreation within the member’s community by increasing the skill level of the community’s volunteers. Visit www.spra.sk.ca/ funding.

CIF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GRANT PROGRAM Application Deadline: November 1, 2011

The Community Initiatives Fund Physical Activity Grant Program supports strategic regional and provincial projects and initiatives that will advance the physical activity movement in Saskatche-

SOGO ACTIVE GRANTS Your group can receive from $250 - $1000 (if required) to support activities for youth ages 13 - 19. Challenge Grants – Apply to receive up to $500 to support youth physical activity programs that are ongoing (3 times a week for a minimum of 4 weeks). Event Grants – Apply to receive up to $250 to support a onetime youth physical activity event (approximately 1 - 4 days in length). Contact Karen at (306) 780-9389.

For more grants and funding information, visit the SPRA website at www.spra.sk.ca/funding or www.spra.sk.ca/ otherfunding.

wan and increase the level of physical activity of Saskatchewan people. Visit www.spra.sk.ca/otherfunding.

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o c m i C t the c e p Ex est b

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New & Existing Energy Efficient Ice Plants Simple, Low Risk, Reliable, and Low Maintenance Operating costs reduced by up to 60% Energy Savings Trane Screw & Scroll Chiller using a Free Cooling Module Trane Saskatchewan- Regina 109 Hodsman Rd Regina, SK S4N 5W5 Ph. 306-525-0745 Contact: Craig Nelson Email: cdnelson@trane.com

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Publication Mail Agreement #41967532 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: SPRA • 100 – 1445 Park Street • Regina, SK • S4N 4C5 email: office@spra.sk.ca