RECREATION AND COMMUNITY

RECREATION AND COMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT BRANCH

Aquatic Services

Throughout 2019, there were over 11,000 admissions to Portage Pool. 840 residents participated in swim lessons, and 70 took leadership courses.

Portage Pool was recognized by the Canadian Red Cross for the highest sales in 2018 for a population under 5,000. The Pool also received 3 awards from the Alberta and Northwest Territories Branch of the Lifesaving Society for program excellence in lifesaving, swim to survive, and first aid.

Portage Pool is working with and providing space for the Red Cross Indigenous Swimming and Water Safety Program, giving Indigenous youth the opportunity to participate in aquatic programs.

Approximately 100 participants enjoyed the New Year’s Eve Glow Swim on December 31, 2019.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS BRING NEW PERKS TO RECREATION PROGRAMMING

Despite tough economic times, our community continues to step up and support County recreation facilities and programs through sponsorships and advertising. Whether it’s free skating at the Bold Center or Plamondon Arena, paid facility rentals for the Festival of Trees, or free Child Mind access during select events, many perks would not be offered without sponsors’ support.

Data from digital counters shows that Bold Center traffic continues to grow, with 357,000 exposures in 2019 alone—it’s truly the hub of our community. To find out more about sponsorship and advertising packages, contact the Bold Center.

County Peace Officers responded to 2,707 calls for service. They conducted regular patrols in communities, totaling a driving distance of 237,236 km. Peace Officers also made 1,841 vehicle stops and went on 175 foot patrols throughout the year.

Enforcement Services conducted emergency services and Peace Officer-specific training throughout the year, with 45 attendees.

The School Resource Officer position was filled in late 2019. The position works with local youth and schools to provide positive interactions with law enforcement officers, promoting youth education. They engage youth and work on life safety topics, including bikes, crosswalks, impaired driving, bullying, and illegal drugs. Peace Officers also conducted 220 community safety and school presentations.

Community Street Ambassadors were hired. They conducted patrols throughout the hamlet of Lac La Biche’s downtown core while interacting with business owners, residents, and visitors.

BOLD CENTER ROUNDABOUT GETS BEAUTIFIED

Youth Programming 100 teens registered in the Teen Chillzone program, which provides youth an opportunity to try new things as they spend time with their peers in a safe, supervised environment. An average of 30 teens attended each event.

Staff ran four Class 7 Learner’s License prep courses in 2019, with 75 youth participating.

More than 175 youth took part in No School Friday events, including trips to the Long Lake ski hill and Birch Bay Ranch.

The department planned a variety of summer camps and workshops, which built youth’s confidence and taught them a variety of skills. 110 youth took part in the Circus Camp, Teen Camp, and Junior Teen Camp over the summer months. For younger age groups (6 to 12 years), a puppet camp and balloon-making workshop were held—45 attended.

FCSS’s teen volunteer group (known as Next Generation Volunteers) spent 700 hours in 2019 at various community events, including the Family Day Festival, Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, Carnival Night, Spooktacular, Connect for Mental Health, the Seniors’ Holiday Social, and more.

FCSS staff held six It Takes a Village Parenting Workshops in 2019, with 112 attendees. Topics included art therapy for mental health, digital safety, childhood sexual abuse, sexual health, technology, and gender & sexual diversity. Lac La Biche County

The roundabout in front of the Bold Center was given a major facelift in 2019. In partnership with the Lac La Biche Arts Club and Melanie Braund’s Fine Art from Plamondon, the project progressed from concept in November 2018 to a completed installation in August 2019.

Each feature captures a different aspect of the community’s character, but the first thing that you’ll notice is the large, curved feather at the centre. The feather pays special homage to the Indigenous community while reflecting our community’s emphasis natural assets like the lake and wildlife. It’s made from raw steel, representing the strength and backbone of the people who work together to make Lac La Biche County a strong, safe, and beautiful place to live and work.

Seniors’ Aquafit

Seniors went on a variety of “staycations” to the Mayfield Dinner Theatre, Prairie Gardens, the Alberta Museum and Spaghetti Factory, the Ukrainian Village, the Barr Estates Winery, and West Edmonton Mall. More are planned for 2020.

Seniors Aquafit, a partnership with Portage Pool which helps seniors get fit with low-impact exercises, was wellreceived in 2019.

FCSS organized a Seniors’ Sneak Peak at the Festival of Trees in November. Approximately 100 seniors viewed the trees without the crowds, and afterwards enjoyed refreshments and entertainment.

The annual Seniors’ Holiday Social, which featured a performance from comedian Graham Neil, drew a crowd of 400.

Paratransit and Community Access Bus Services The new Community Access Bus provided low-cost transportation for residents in Lac La Biche County with punch passes and scheduled service.

Staff assisted in transporting world archery competitors from 25 countries around our community, as well as to and from the Edmonton Airport.

Community Access Bus services have supported a variety of schools, non-profit programs, and community groups with transportation, reducing barriers to participating in events and programs.

Child Mind Child Mind services saw 1,005 paid drop-ins in 2019. Staff changed the hours to match other programming and workshops offered in the Bold Center, making child care more convenient for parents. They also provided free care during several Bold Center events over the past year.

Staff introduced a new Summer Kids Club program, designed to build physical, social, emotional, and communication skills in children 18 months to 6 years with fun games, crafts, and outings. 248 children attended.

The toy lending library at the Cenovus Child Mind Centre continued to be successful: 511 items were lent out in 2019. The toy lending library allows children and families to try new toys and educational items free-of-charge.

Homelessness Project FCSS completed the homelessness estimation count and report. They also started discussion on and plans for a transitional housing program.

Staff coordinated initiatives like the Unity Symposium in April and Community Strong Empowering Together Conference in October, which brought more awareness of community issues to local social service workers.

Love Builds Brains Conference ft. Dr. Jean Clinton

Plamondon Arena

Golden Sands Playground

Parent Link Program

Parent Link

From April 1, 2019 to November 30, 2019, Parent Link served 243 different families.

Parent Link staff hosted world-renowned child development expert Dr. Jean Clinton from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University. Dr. Clinton gave a talk titled the Power of Connection/ Love Builds Brains, with over 200 social workers, childhood development professionals, and parents in attendance.

Parent Link organized Metewetan (Let’s Play) with the local Canadian Native Friendship Centre to deliver more culturally-sensitive programming.

Staff organized prenatal classes for new and expecting parents in partnership with Alberta Health Services. They also organized a car seat clinic in partnership with Alberta Health Services and Lac La Biche County Peace Officers.

Parks & Facilities

The department improved many County facilities and outdoor spaces throughout 2019, taking on the following tasks. • Constructed the new archery facility and landscaped the surrounding grounds. • Completed the Paul Richard Memorial Spray Park washroom and concession building. • Installed artwork for the Bold Center’s roundabout (in partnership with the Lac La Biche Arts Club). • Renovated Jubilee Hall to relocate the Lac La Biche Museum (with federal Cultural Spaces grant funding). • Opened the Bold Center’s new food court. • Helped install the Bold Center’s new LED sign on Beaver Hill Road. • Relocated the Community Peace Officers to the Bold Center. • Completed renovations to the lower floor of McArthur Place. • Began construction on Bold Center Sports Fields Phase 1—this project will continue in 2020. • Renovated the Plamondon Arena lobby and washrooms. • Installed new playgrounds in the Golden Sands Subdivision, and added to the Dumasfield playground. • Resurfaced the Owl River and Rich Lake outdoor rinks. • Built a new golf course irrigation intake—the pump house will be completed in spring 2020.

LAC LA BICHE MUSEUM FINDS A NEW HOME IN OLD JUBILEE HALL

For several years, the Lac La Biche Museum was temporarily housed in the basement of McArthur Place. However, given the Museum’s success at archiving and displaying important artifacts and historical pieces, they quickly outgrew the space.

TRX Fitness Class

Summer Shack Program

New air bikes

Recreation

More than 100 fitness and recreation classes, leagues, camps, and workshops were offered in 2019. There were 1,180 registered and 462 drop-in participants. Membership and drop-in revenue totaled $302,646.81 in 2019.

Staff continued to administer the Prescription to Get Active (RxTGA) program in partnership with the Primary Care Network, Associated Medical Clinic, and Portage College. Individuals with borderline health concerns are issued prescriptions by a doctor for activity, then receive a two-month all-access pass to the Bold Center and Portage Pool. Staff give RxTGA members a facility orientation to build their confidence, then follow up to encourage clients and address any questions they may have. Approximately 100 Prescriptions to Get Active have been filled at the Bold Center since the program’s launch in October 2018, and approximately 40% of RxTGA members have continued to use County recreation facilities once their two months expire.

Drop-in leisure opportunities such as open ice (offered at both the Bold Center and Plamondon Arena), adult basketball, adult soccer, and racquet sports continue to be crowd favourites.

Community Appreciation Evening

Staff purchased a variety of new fitness equipment, including two air bikes, three spin bikes, a step machine, TRX straps, foam boxes, a landmine bar, a pentagon bar, and new bands. 21 clients received personal training consultations to help them meet their fitness goals and challenge others to overcome plateaus.

35 youth completed the Access Fitness Level I course, which teaches participants how to safely use the resistance machines and cardio equipment, fitness centre etiquette, facility rules, and basic nutrition.

The Park & Play Fun Van continues to be a popular addition to school, block party, festival, and special events throughout the community. It has also supported a variety of Recreation, FCSS, and Parent Link programs.

The revamped Summer Shack Recreation Program was a hit in the community, providing free, accessible recreation programming to 1,420 participants at 4 sites throughout the summer.

The Bold Center hosted many special events throughout the year, including a “June is Parks and Recreation Month event,” the annual Community Appreciation Evening, cultural events and entertainment for athletes participating in the 3D World Archery Championships, and the first successful drive-in movie in September. Staff also organized the annual Spooktacular event, expanding it this year to include a youth area—more than 600 people attended.

The Recreation & Parks Master Plan was completed and approved by Council in July 2019. The Plan will guide how the County delivers recreation programming in the future. County Administration has already started implementing strategies from the plan—they will begin larger-scale projects in 2020.

Two local athletes were highlighted in the Bold Center with full-size images and inspirational quotes as part of the Sports Inspiration Wall project. This project celebrates participation and achievement in sport and recreation, while creating a sense of community pride.

Bold Center staff held the second annual Member Appreciation Week from September 3 to 6. Free fitness classes and child mind services were offered all week, along with family activities, discounts, and daily draws. The week ended with a Community Appreciation BBQ, which 350 attended.

A Cenovus Energy grant allowed staff to purchase equipment for Bold Center/Recreation drop-in programs and leagues, along with three sheds to support the free Summer Shack Recreation Program this summer.

A new Bold Center LED sign was installed on Beaver Hill Road in spring 2019 to replace aging technology. The result is a 30-foot structure with a bright, eye-catching screen meant to draw new crowds to the County’s premier recreation facility.

BOLD CENTER PATRON TESTIMONIAL: TREVOR V. GILL

Trevor V. Gill (pictured left, with his son on the right) is a Bold Center patron who used County facilities in 2018 and 2019 to lose weight, get fit, and turn his health around. Below is his story.

Over the past six months, I have utilized your facility to train for the Canadian Death Race and Iron Horse Ultra 100 km events. During this time, I have always been greeted and given farewell by name, given words of encouragement, and treated to some of the highest levels of customer service I have known. This level of service continued over the past 2 months, when the cost to use the track was absolutely nothing. Having visited a number of fieldhouses throughout the province over this timeframe, I can honestly say that the Bold Center is second-to-none.

With your support, I have achieved a loss of over 70 lbs, a 10-point reduction in BMI, a 16% reduction in body fat and, most importantly, a huge increase in my mental and physiological well-being. Your team was an integral part of this first achievement. With the spring months approaching quickly, I will soon be leaving the sheltered track to focus on trail training, but I will keep those days at the Bold Center close to my heart.

Trevor sent the message above in early 2019. After County staff followed up with him in 2020, Trevor had this to add.

My wall of run bibs grows larger, but I can still remember what it felt like to run a single lap at the Bold Center and have to stop because I was out of breath. I owe you and your team a debt I can never hope to repay. With your staff, I never felt judged, I was encouraged to come back, and even small milestones were celebrated.

Trust that every time my foot pounds the trail, every aid station I rush through, every finish line I cross, and every medal that is bestowed upon me—it is a direct result of you and your staff’s achievements as part of a team.