News and Stories July 2015

A relatively new and upcoming development in Saskatchewan over the past few years has been the Preserving our Heritage by Creating a Sense of Place growth of Eco-Museums. Few communities in our province have established an ecomuseum in their area, but the ones that have are certainly seeing the benefits of doing so. More communities have joined the push for eco-museums, as they create the potential for benefits such as enhanced tourism, conservation of community heritage, environmental action, and community awareness.

So what is an ecomuseum?

There are many different ways to define an ecomuseum and identify what it can do for a community. Glen Sutter, curator of human ecology at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, has been instrumental in the Saskatchewan Ecomuseum Initiative and has identified ecomuseums in the following ways:

• A community’s intention to take care of a place
• A locally-driven organization that encourages sustainable community development based on heritage, conservation, and interpretation
• A museum without walls (communities decide what is valuable and preserve it)

The topic of ecomuseums is still quite new to our province and the definition leads to an opportunity for a wide variation in types of ecomuseums.  

Some examples of ecomuseums in Saskatchewan include:

• Prairie Winds and Silver Sage- Val Marie
• Torch River Forest- Nipawin
• North Central Regina

For more information visit:

The Heritage Saskatchewan Ecomuseums Page

The Royal Saskatchewan Ecomuseums Page

Glen Sutter's Community Engagement Presenation

Many of us have come across one of those days where you look outside to see the perfect opportunity to have a picnic. That is until you go outside and actually have a picnic…Wet blankets, bugs in your drinks, the hassle of packing up a million different containers and dishes. What was once a wonderful idea becomes a mess…

But it doesn’t have to be this way!

Below is a quick list of some easy picnic hacks to make your picnic, well, perfect!

1. Poke a hole in a cupcake case, put a straw through it, and then cover the top of your cup to keep insects out! Anchor the case over the drink with an elastic band for an extra seal.

2. Pump things up with some music and make your own speaker by putting your phone or I-pod in a cup.

3. Combat all of those dishes by serving condiments and small snacks in a muffin tin. You can pack way more in just one dish!

4. Tired of sitting on a damp blanket? Bring an old shower curtain to put underneath the blanket as a barrier from moisture.

5. Freeze bottles of water and use them as ice packs instead of buying bags of ice. This will save you some mess and leave you with a refreshing drink when it’s melted!

I will be going into the fourth and final year of my Kinesiology & Health Studies degree at the University of Regina this fall. As a result, I feel myself beginning to transition from my post-secondary career into the work force. Moving forward in this field and in finding the right career path, I think it is very important to gain as much experience and knowledge as I can in all different areas of the recreation sector. Right now, I’m going to tell you a little bit about one of these experiences.

A few days ago, I traveled to Camp Monahan to complete the HIGH FIVE® Principles of Healthy Child Development (PHCD) course with 19 Camp Monahan summer staff.  My experience with the HIGH FIVE course, I can honestly say, was one of the most engaging and interactive training courses I have participated in. The whole day had a very positive vibe and welcoming atmosphere, this made learning and sharing with each other feel effortless.

Before going to the training, I had a fairly good idea about what HIGH FIVE was and what I could expect. However, one thing I did not expect was how much more this course could provide me with as a young adult moving forward in this field.

After a full day of learning about the HIGH FIVE Principles, playing games, and sharing ideas, I believe we all felt more confident and excited in our ability to work with children and to plan valuable programs for our communities. Although the course focused on children, it allowed us to think critically and learn how to apply our knowledge to real situations, a valuable skill that can be used when interacting with any age group! The skills and knowledge we gained from this course will hold value in contexts that go far beyond working with children alone. This course challenged us to utilize our creativity, our ability to collaborate, and our problem solving skills, all of which will support us when moving forward in our chosen fields. Not only that, but I think the course also taught us how to bring back play into our own work and reminded us of just how exciting working in this field can be!

So I guess what I’m trying to say, is that in all of the opportunities and experiences we are given, there is so much more to be learned than what is on the surface. But YOU have to be the one who decides how much you will take away from a situation. I went into this course thinking I would simply learn about creating better programs and how to effectively work with children (which I definitely did!). However, clearly, I came out of with much more than just that.

If you want to learn more about HIGH FIVE or Camp Monahan and how you can get involved, check out the links below for more information!

(http://www.spra.sk.ca/programs-services/children-youth/high-five/

http://campmonahan.ca/

Who doesn’t enjoy the occasional rink burger? We are probably all guilty of indulging in one of these over our lifetime.

There is a lot of hype around who has the best rink burger in Saskatchewan but it seems ironic that our recreation facilities are such proud supporters of this mission as these are also the places and spaces that support healthy, active living in your community.

These facilities are where people gather and spend a lot of their time, so offering nutritious food options only makes sense. And while you might not be ready to take that burger off your menu, here are simple ways you can encourage healthier food choices in your recreation facility:

• Make the healthy items more visible than the less healthy options
• Adapt prices to ensure healthy foods are cheaper or at minimum equivalent pricing to unhealthy options
• Provide healthy items, such as a whole wheat bun or side salad, as the default choice and require the customer to make a special request for the less healthy choice

 *Information adapted from the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Opportunities for Recreation Facility Nutrition Policies in Saskatchewan

It’s summer! The sunny season has come around once again. Don’t find yourself stuck inside lying on the couch with “nothing” to do! Below is your very own go to list of summer activities, to ensure that you don’t let this lovely time of year pass you by!

1. Go bird watching in the park

2. Instead of reading a book on the couch, take a walk to the park and read it on the bench

3. Plant a garden

4. Go bike riding around town

5. Find a trail and go for a hike- make it interesting with a nature scavenger hunt!

6. Take your dog for a walk

7. Make crafts with your kids

8. Set up a tent in the backyard and sleep outside for a night

9. Invite friends and family over for a BBQ and games

10. Go to a local field and play soccer, football, Frisbee, tag...anything!

Want more? Check out our Resource Centre for great ideas on how to make the most of the season.