Eat right, get active

Sharon McLeay
Times Contributor

 

When healthy eating and active lifestyles collide, it generates people passionate about supporting our community in healthy initiatives.
Members of the Strathmore chapter of Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) met with Strathmore council on Dec. 2 to summarize the group’s progress in conjunction with council and community group’s efforts to increase activity in the town.
“The town has been working to connect parks in which participants walk from park to park,” said spokesperson Robert Breitwieser. “To connect the parks with walking/bicycle paths encourages walking.”
Lisa Sader outlined the various programs and venues that are used to increase activity and thanked council for their support in making upgrades within the town, as some of the previous walkways were only dirt tracks. HEAL participated in the Walkability Roadshow, which generated a report that lead to pathway improvements in Strathmore.
The other accomplishments mentioned were the new pickle ball and bocce ball courts installed, improving walkability and beauty in the downtown, building the moveable patios, paving walking paths.
HEAL looks for more opportunities to get Strathmore moving; for example, it organized the family day Great Skate event and the first Meet your Neighbour Day, held in the downtown core, where two downtown streets were closed, lined with locals displaying their wares, cultural and craft activities highlighted, while people walked and chatted with their friends and neighbours. For more information on HEAL, check out their website at www.healourfuture.com.
Breitwieser is a member of the Alberta Parks and Recreation Association and championed Strathmore by nominating them for the Choosewell award for the town’s efforts to encourage community participation in healthy activity. Choosewell information and upcoming events and challenges can be seen on the ARPA website, www.arpaonline.ca
“When you live in a community that invests in wellness, healthy choices become the easiest and most popular choices,” said Gene Zwozdesky, Minister of Health and Wellness. “Taking up the ChooseWell challenge shows the ways in which a community can improve the well-being of its citizens, and we want to honour that initiative. Helping Albertans live longer and enjoy a high quality of life through programs such as ChooseWell is a key strategy in our 5-Year Health Action Plan.”
Strathmore won the Choosewell challenge and Breitwieser presented the Choosewell award to Mayor Michael Ell at the Dec. 2 council meeting.