Communities in Motion: Active Edmonton

Active Edmonton is a five-year physical activity promotion strategy started in 2003 with the vision to make Edmonton the most active city in Canada. The initiative involves all parts of the community. Active Edmonton makes use of a very informative web site detailing appropriate physical activities for each age group. Amongst its efforts is a marketing campaign designed to inform residents of new activities they can sample at participating gyms, clubs and fitness centers.

Every year since its inception, Active Edmonton has organized an annual fitness challenge. To enter the challenge, you or your group has to complete an application form answering the following questions:

1. What did you or your group do to start to increase your activity level?
2. What effect did the change have on your life and others around you?
3. What obstacles were overcome to become more active?

There are several categories under which one can enter the challenge, allowing everyone to participate either as an individual or as member of a group. In 2005, applicants were invited under the following categories: Housing Developer/Planner (private developers of new subdivisions), Workplace, Elementary School, Junior/Senior High School, Group (3 or more individuals), Family, Older Adult (60+), Adult (18 – 59), Youth (13 – 17) and Child (up to 12). In addition to the certificates the winners also got free passes to use the local YMCA or other recreational facilities. Schools that won also got gift certificates to organize more physical activities in the following year.

Results
In 2003-2004, the first year of the challenge, over 7,500 Edmontonians participated in the program. Active Edmonton isn’t a competition about who walked the most number of miles or who burned the most calories. Instead, the initiative stresses the message of getting “recognized for being active.” Participants don’t have to record every minute of activity. Rather they describe the kind of activity they do on a regular basis, how it has helped them and their health and what obstacles were faced to stay active. There are stories of parents who had to wait until their children were in bed and there are families who played tag inside the house and challenged themselves to turn the TV off. Such personal anecdotes help motivate people more than any other statistic can.

Active Edmonton also encourages other campaigns like Summer Active, a national six-week campaign promoting physical activity and the development of healthy lifestyles. This year Edmontonians are competing against residents of Calgary to see which city can log more activities during the campaign.

In addition, the Active Edmonton campaign focuses upon a particular group for short periods of time. In June 2006, for example, the campaign addressed the needs of Older Adults. Other efforts include noon-hour workouts on the first Wednesday of every month. This free program encourages all to be active for an hour during the lunch break. In April, they sponsored a variety of activities including seated exercises and stretches that one can do in the workplace. In May, they organized an aerobic and fitness event with low impact and other fun activities. A walking and running techniques program was scheduled for June, a golf lesson in July and a family fun hour in August.

Lessons Learned
Being creative with ideas for activities and imaginative campaigning is very essential. It is also important to enlist the help of diverse groups, educational institutions, local fitness and recreation facilities, planners and housing developers, health care professionals, government, non-profit organizations and commercial sectors. All volunteers and judges for the competition were members of the community with strong leadership in at least one of the categories for the challenge. Public recognition for the efforts to lead an active and healthy lifestyle is key to the success. Information about the challenge was provided to the community through the web site, through the local YMCA and recreational facilities and through the Active Edmonton Office. It is important to use a variety of channels in such a challenge which targets all sections of the community.

Strengths
It is easy for many people to participate in the President’s Fitness Challenge. The Challenge allows participants to use the program as individuals or as part of a community, school or work group. Activity logs are available on-line and track time committed to physical activity. Awards honor the efforts of participants.

Active Edmonton also makes good use of online resources. Through its web site, through the fitness centers and through public events, Active Edmonton has been campaigning for active lifestyles, providing Edmonton’s residents with guides to Summer and Winter Activities, and organizing a wide variety of programs — lunch hour walks, trial memberships to fitness centers, sport lessons, walking/running technique lessons and challenges. Active Edmonton has demonstrated that there is a huge variety of activities that can be chosen from, and that fitness can be fun and enjoyable. In their annual Active Edmonton Challenge, they recognize people and groups that have made a significant progress toward leading an active life.

Innovative Ideas
The Active Edmonton Challenge offers a lot of flexibility to participants. Rather than recognizing results in terms of number of calories burnt, the Active Edmonton Challenge recognizes effort. The application for the challenge requires a participant to describe how s/he was active during the past year, how it changed his/her life and what obstacles s/he had to face to stay active. It encourages more people to try without fear of failure, because the effort is recognized and rewarded.

Implementation
Active Edmonton enlisted the help of diverse groups, educational institutions, local fitness and recreation facilities, planners and housing developers, health care professionals, government, non-profit organizations and commercial sectors. Volunteers and judges for the competition were chosen. They were all members of the community with strong leadership in at least one of the categories for the challenge. Information about the challenge was provided to the community through the web site, through the local YMCA and recreational facilities and through the Active Edmonton Office. Participants could drop off their completed applications at selected fitness center locations or at the Active Edmonton Office. They could also mail in the completed application, usually by a predetermined date in April. The winners are awarded at a public function in June.

Resources
www.activedmonton.ca
Active Edmonton sponsors a comprehensive web site with numerous resources and guidelines for people of all ages interested in leading a more active lifestyle

Contacts
Active Edmonton
Edmonton, Alberta
T5J 2R7
Phone: (780) 448-4555
Email: information@activeedmonton.ca