New healthy active lifestyle strategy on horizon

The city is moving forward with a recreation, sport and health active living strategy in order to close gaps and barriers that exist between active and non-active people in the community.

“Leading a more active and healthy lifestyle is something that all levels of government are concerned about,” Sharon Kitler, Manager of Recreation and Leisure Services said.

“Currently, North Bay sits below provincial standards for obesity, diabetes, physical activity and smoking. We need a unique, creative plan that will change this,” she said.

10 agencies as well as hundreds of volunteers collaborated through workshops, questionnaires, profiling and other studies to determine the needs of the city. They have developed seven goals:

1. To expand the supply of casual, unorganized opportunities for sport, recreation and active living.
2. To maximize community understanding of the benefits of healthy active living.
3. To maximize community awareness of all opportunities to adopt healthy, active lifestyles.
4. To build working partnerships.
5. To remove geographic, physical and financial barriers to participation.
6. To ensure adequate financial and human resources are available to support the strategies and implementation. (e.g. provincial funding, Communities in Action funding plan, etc)
7. To encourage the partner agencies to reflect the principles of healthy active living to the greatest degree possible in their operations.

Jamie Houston, who presented the study to council with Kitler, said comfort, money and availability of unorganized sports are some of the key barriers the strategy will address.

“We are aware the current facilities such as Memorial Gardens and soccer fields are running near capacity for organized sports, however, bike and running trails, the water front and other natural outdoor areas need to be developed and marketed in a way that will attract non-active people,” he said.

“Outdoor activities may be more appealing for some overweight individuals who don’t feel comfortable in a closed setting,” Houston said

Kitler and company said the new strategy focuses is on what can be done for the non-active person to entice involvement, rather than studying those who are already active.

The strategy will involve many organizations within the community. Presently 10 agencies are working together, but Kitler says private businesses and other organizations are more than welcome to get involved.

“When an agency gets involved it does not mean that it loses its identity. Each agency that is involved has its own unique characteristics and skills, so it’s more about creating openness and sharing… agencies such as Kids Sport will not lose viability. Working together means protecting each other as well,” Houston said.

It is expected that a proper marketing strategy and implementation will take between three to five years (2010).

Below is a list of the 10 agencies currently onboard for this project:

City of North Bay, Parks, Recreation and Leisure Services
North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
Near North District School Board
Nipissing Parry Sound Catholic District School Board
Sport North Bay
YMCA of North Bay
Association for Community Living
Golden Age Centre
Nipissing University PHED Program
Ministry of Health Promotion Regional Consultant