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SAS K ATCH E WA N PA R KS A N D R ECR E AT I O N AS S O C I AT I O N

Making Technology Work for Parks and Recreation

01 SEPTEMBER 2011

SPRA STAFF

MANAGEMENT:

Chief Executive Officer Norm Campbell

Program Manager John Firnesz

Field Services Manager Randy Durovick

Communication, Information and Research Manager Luella Newman

RECREATION CONSULTANTS:

Information and Research Services Chantel Doerksen

Communications Lori Ross Sandra Jackle

Human Resources and Funding Lee Anne Balliett

Parks and Open Spaces Andrew Exelby

Physical Activity and Fitness Wendy McKellar

Aboriginal Support Tim Haywahe

Leadership and Evaluation Karen Thompson

Recreation Facilities Kelly Skotnitsky

ADMINISTRATION:

Business Administrator Bonnie Thiessen

Business Administrator (Half-Time) Debbie Giesinger

Executive Assistant Lois McNaught

Administrative Technician Ryan Monks Administrative Assistant II Paula Lichtenwald

Administrative Assistant I Amanda Rieger

Administrative Assistant I (Half-Time) Donna Matheson

Regina Office: Phone: (306) 780-9231 or 1-800-563-2555

FIELD CONSULTANTS/ADMINISTRATION:

Swift Current Richie Bleau/ Danielle Dyck Phone: (306) 778-1091

Rosetown/North Battleford Kerry Bailey/ Michelle Longtin Phone: (306) 882-6601

Prince Albert Rob Boulding Phone: (306) 953-0052

Weyburn Morgan Grainger/Patricia Butz Phone: (306) 848-0272

Melville/Yorkton Michael Squier/ Linda Weinmaster Phone: (306) 728-3860

Humboldt Clint McConnell/ Lynne Morelli Phone: (306) 682-5265

Physical Activity Kelly Wood Phone: (306) 778-1095

SEPTEMBER 2012 | VOLUME 3 | NUMBER 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CEO’s Report 01 Government of Saskatchewan Launching Community Rink Affordibility Grant 02Technology and Fitness 03Technology in Our Parks 04Saskatchewan in motion - Using Social Media to Inspire Movement 05Find SPRA on Facebook and Twitter 05UV Water Treatment For Indoor Swimming Pools 07 Volunteer Engagement - Change is Needed...Change Starts Here! 08Energy Recovery Heat Pumps 10Lottery Lingo 11 The 2012 Twitter Games 12 QR Codes: A Call to Action 13 SPRA Commercial Members 13 Events 14 Grants and Funding 15

DIRECTION is published four times a year (December, March, June and September). The publication is provided to members of the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association. Direct all communications to:

Editor, DIRECTION #100 - 1445 Park Street Regina, Saskatchewan S4N 4C5

You may also send letters or comments to Lori Ross, Communications Consultant, at 306.780.9370, by fax at 306.780.9257, or by email at lross@spra.sk.ca.

Articles within this magazine are the opinions of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of SPRA. Articles in DIRECTION may be reprinted, provided that full credits are shown for the author and the magazine.

SPRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Darrell Lessmeister

Director for Cities Jasmine Jackman

Director for Towns Mike Schwean

Director for Villages Clive Craig

Director at Large Corrine Galarneau Director at Large Mimi Lodoen

Director at Large Mike Powell

Director at Large Kyle Lamkey

Director for the North Sandy Rediron

in motion STAFF

Manager Cathie Kryzanowski

Manager - Community and Target Strategies Marnie Sinclair

Consultant Cindy Anderson

Consultant Graham Richardson

Communications Consultant Kim Herperger

Communications Assistant Amanda Perry

Executive Assistant Nicole Shewchuk

Phone: (306) 780-9248 or 1-866-888-3648 Fax: (306) 780-9466

SEPTEMBER 2012 01

CEO’S REPORT

Norm Campbell SPRA Chief Executive Officer

This edition of DIREC-TION outlines some of the technological changes that have occurred in our field. I still remember the days when we had to handwrite all of our correspondence and then give it to our admin assistants to “type it up”. How changes made to a letter once it was typed meant a total re-write or at the very least - the liberal

use of white out or correcto tape. Nor can I forget how ap-provals and written confirmations would take over three days because you had to wait for delivery from the mail carrier.

I recently had a conversation with a student that opened my eyes to the speed at which these changes have occurred. She had no idea that the cc on the second line of most emails meant ‘carbon copy’ and she didn’t believe me when I explained what carbon paper was and how it was used to make copies of letters.

To say things have changed quickly is an understatement. Some will say they have changed for the worse, while other would say the changes have been positive.

Regardless of how the advances are viewed, the recreation sector needs to be aware of how much technology is chang-ing our lives, changing the way we conduct our business, and changing the way we interact with each other at work, at home and in our social circles.

Technology has provided us with more efficient ways to perform functions, track progress and keep in touch. But the ability to have instant information and instant contact with people has also led to a dramatic change in the frequency and quality of our personal interaction and engagement.

There has been a marked decline in the number of kids out playing street hockey, challenging the climbing apparatus at the local playground, or searching for each other in a twilight game of hide and seek. More often than not, one can ob-serve groups of kids huddled together, heads bent down as they text, tweet or facebook someone or even each other.

Social media is quickly replacing one-on-one telephone con-versations and face-to-face interaction. When this is added to the trend of increased screen time and a subsequent decrease in activity time amongst our children and youth, the challenges facing the recreation sector become substantial.

Some significant benefits of recreation include the opportu-nity to be physically active and to socialize with others. How-ever, the technology revolution presents a unique challenge to those of us committed to provision of recreation programs and services. The advances we enjoy are also making it easier for people to become less engaged in their community and less likely to participate in activities that are proven to improve their mental and physical health.

The increased dependence on technology we are experi-encing shouldn’t be viewed as a threat but as the natural evolution of things. It will continue to grow and morph into whatever entity is needed. We cannot, nor should we try to slow its growth. We must find ways to take advantage of the opportunities it presents to address some of the challenges that it causes.

The information provided on the following pages is a small representation of some of the opportunities the technology revolution has provided to us. Hopefully, it can spark an idea or trigger a thought that will help identify more effective and efficient processes that assist us in the work we do.

For more information and resources on technological ad-vances in the parks and recreation field, contact the SPRA Resource Centre at (306) 780-9206, or via email at resourcecentre@spra.sk.ca.

02 SEPTEMBER 2012

GOVERNMENT OF SASKATCHEWAN LAUNCHES COMMUNITY RINK AFFORDIBILITY GRANT

The Community Rink Affordability Grant, which was first announced as part of the Government’s platform during the 2011 provincial election, will begin accepting registrations for the grant in September. Government is committing $1.9 million to the grant program.

The grant provides communities who qualify with an annual $2,500 per ice surface to help offset the costs of running the rinks.

“The Government of Saskatchewan and the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport are excited to launch this grant program,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Kevin Doherty said. “Rinks promote healthy, active lifestyles and provide significant recreational opportunities for residents across the province. This program will help sustain Saskatchewan’s rinks and ensure that they continue to be vibrant places that people can enjoy for years to come.”

The Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association will be responsible for administering and delivering the grant.

“Government and the Ministry are pleased to partner with the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association,” Sport, Recreation and Stewardship Executive Director Darin Bana-dyga said. “We are confident that they will deliver this grant in a professional, efficient manner to the benefit of Saskatch-ewan communities.”

The grant applies only to indoor skating and curling rinks. It is available to municipalities, communities, schools and reg-istered non-profit groups. (Privately-owned rinks and those

The Government of Saskatchewan is keeping a commitment to the people of our Province by investing 1.9 million in local rinks.

on reserve land are not eligible.) Funds can be used to pay for operating costs or minor capital improvements.

Groups can register by filling out a simple, online form avail-able on the Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association website at www.spra.sk.ca/Grant.

Since the program’s announcement, people across Sas-katchewan have expressed positive feelings regarding the program. Some community members say this grant is an opportunity to keep their rinks running effectively.

“We absolutely plan on applying for the grant - for both the curling rink and the skating rink,” Town of Balgonie Super-intendent Shaun McBain said. “On behalf of the Town of Balgonie, I would like to thank our provincial government for taking a step in the right direction.”

It is anticipated that registrations will begin in early Septem-ber and close November 30 every year. Recipients must complete an evaluation form by March 31, in order to qualify for funding the following year.

“Our Government works to continually enhance our resi-dents’ quality of life,” Doherty said. “We want to ensure that the people of Saskatchewan benefit from our province’s economic prosperity. One way we can do this is by investing in community rinks which are the focal point of numerous communities during the winter.”

Chelsea Coupal Communications Consultant, Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport

SEPTEMBER 2012 03

TECHNOLOGY AND FITNESS

Ten years ago children were going on bike rides and joining sports teams. Now more commonly, youth are joining online teams and trading in their baseball bats for joysticks. With a large percent of today’s children and youth inactive and facing obesity, it is important that we, as promoters of active lifestyles, use technology to our full advantage. The technology industry has taken many steps in the fitness direction even the most tech savvy person may not be aware of. Everyone has heard of the Wii and Kinect game systems. These systems have turned video game playing into an ac-tive experience - you can bowl, compete in track and field meets, shake your bootie or complete a workout program from the comfort of your living room. Or liven up a party, by having an active battle of skills! Have you ever thought of your Smartphone as a conduit for physical activity? New smartphones applications are coming out all the time! RunKeeper, is an application developed for any device operating on an Android or iOS Software. With GPS and map management, this application works to record and monitor your activities. If you like even more control over your workout you can keep track of your stats online and watch your progress. This program is perfect for individuals of all skill levels from beginner to advanced. Endomondo is a sports community based on free real-time GPS tracking of running, cycling, etc. Endomondo allows tracking and analyzing workout activity and sharing the recorded information within the Endomondo community. The added bonus with this application is you are able to share your information with friends or family. Maybe some friendly competition would keep you motivated. The ‘Health + Fitness’ category of most application stores holds hundreds of applications paid or free and they are all sitting at your fingertips waiting to become the next big

Technology is rapidly becoming a larger part of our everyday lives. I can Skype a friend, check my emails, share a status, go to the bank, go shopping, vote on my favorite show and check the weather all before breakfast. But how are these new technological advancements affecting the fitness and physical activity of the masses...

aspect of your life - literally. A few of the most common free fitness applications are as follows:

Calorie Calendar Nike+ Running Ab Workouts Free Chest Workouts Free Target WEIGHT for Adults

Maybe you are a music guru and nothing has sparked your motivation yet. If that is the case, you might enjoy the Mo-torola MotoACTV. This wrist-watch designed gadget tracks your workout, but also works as a mp3 device. If that doesn’t motivate you consider the fact that it also analyzes the songs to give you the best results and develops a super playlist that will work toward giving you the most beneficial workout. So, why not take the first step? Find out what motivates you. Challenge yourself. Get yourself a new fitness gadget. Down-load the newest application. Build healthy habits. Get fit. Stay fit. Have fun!

Jeanna Kozan SPRA Summer Student

04 SEPTEMBER 2012

TECHNOLOGY IN OUR PARKS

Many people think of our parks as long established spaces that have always been there. Unless you are actively in-volved in the parks sector, the changing relationship between technology and parks may not be apparent. Our parks have experienced incredible change in the past 25, 50 and 100 years. Technology has advanced in the areas of infrastruc-ture, equipment, plant material and community relations.

IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

The infrastructure of our parks is an area that has greatly benefited from the progress of technology. Irrigation systems are much more advanced now than they were in the past as control systems, sprinkler heads and coverage practices have changed. Many new systems now have a complete system of permanent underground sprinkler heads rather than the connection systems with portable sprinkler heads. The new timer controls now allow different zones to be run at any time of the day, no need for staff to constantly monitor the system and manually switch the operation of zones and heads. This eliminates the need for a night shift to operate irrigation systems in our larger parks.

SMART EQUIPMENT

The idea of working smarter is one that is prevalent in society today. It is obvious when you look at the equipment that our parks use today that technology has allowed our equipment to become “smarter.” There are now Aerial pruning trucks

HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED OVER THE YEARS

Our parks have experienced incredible change in the past 25, 50 and 100 years. Technology has advanced in the areas of infrastructure, equipment, plant material and community relations.

that automatically determine how level the work station is and only allow work to start once everything is secure. Some of these trucks even have wind sensors which warn the workers of increasing winds that could make the conditions dangerous. It’s amazing how technology has progressed in order to keep our workers safe.

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

Social media has had a huge impact on our parks and the way that we communicate with our patrons. People expect and demand that park events and other activities will be ad-vertised through tools such as Facebook and Twitter. Even 5 to 10 years ago, the idea of promotion through this method would have been minimal. Posters, radio, and mail promo-tion still have a place; however more and more social media and internet are proving to be the successful methods of communication.

Our parks are truly amazing. They seem like a constant in life that will always be there; however, in the face of technol-ogy they are continually changing. It’s impossible to sum-marize all the different ways that technology has affected our parks; but they certainly have changed.

Andrew Exelby SPRA Consultant - Parks and Open Spaces

SEPTEMBER 2012 05

TECHNOLOGY IN OUR PARKS

“Re:activity: A Multi-Media Approach to Engaging Audiences with Targeted Messaging” at the October SPRA Confer-ence. The interactive session will demonstrate how a mix of multi-media such as webisodes, online tools, social media and traditional media was strategically used to support parents’ efforts to reduce screen time and increase physical activity. Re:activity uses the power of video to “show” rather than “tell” parents how they can increase physical activity at home.

Did you know kids average 6-7 hours a day on screen time? YIKES! Re:activate your family with tools, tips and resources at www.saskatch-ewaninmotion.ca.

Christine Niemczyk Saskatchewan in motion

SASKATCHEWAN IN MOTIONUSING SOCIAL MEDIA TO INSPIRE MOVEMENT

According to Tweet Grader, the Saskatchewan in motion twitter account, inmotionsk, is number 10 out of the top 50 users in the Prov-ince. We have 1,251 followers or people following us on our Twitter account!

So why does Saskatchewan in motion use social media like Twitter and what do we tweet about?

At Saskatchewan in motion, we’ve become dedicated social media practitioners and include Facebook, YouTube, Blogs, and Twitter as part of our social marketing campaigns. Social media is very useful in reaching the in motion move-ment with our targeted but brief messages. We tweet four to five times daily, seven days a week with specific physical activity messages that focus on increasing physical activity for children and youth. Why? We know that less than 15% of Saskatchewan kids are active enough to stay healthy. We share topical physical activity stories or statistics with our followers to lead discussion, engage dialogue and raise opinions to help get our kids moving for 60 minutes every day and more is better!

To learn more about using social media as a marketing tool, register for the Saskatchewan in motion session

FIND SPRA ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER! Like our page at: www.facebook.com/SaskParksAndRecFollow us on Facebook to read SPRA’s latest news, get information about our upcoming events and view our photos featuring recreation and parks events from across Saskatchewan.

Find us at: SaskParksandRecFollow us on Twitter to stay connected to SPRA in real time. We’ll tweet an interest-ing fact, helpful tips and provide parks and recreation related news to you so it’s right at your fingertips.

Picture featured above: The Pajama Olympics

06 SEPTEMBER 2012

UV WATER TREATMENT FOR INDOOR SWIMMING POOLS

The following is a truncated version of the article City of Ot-tawa Invests In UV Water Treatment Technology for Indoor Swimming Pools. Marco Manconi, P. Eng. City of Ottawa. Facility Forum Magazine Vol. 18:2, 2011; Ontario Recreation Facilities Association] To read the full article contact the On-tario Recreation Facilities Association (www.orfa.com).

BACKGROUND The City of Ottawa owns 18 indoor swimming pools ranging in age from 5 to 75 years old. The physical layout, the type and age of ventilation systems, the pool filtration and chemi-cal systems all vary. Over the last several years there have been a general increase in complaints from the public and staff in terms of air/water quality in the pool area – the City of Ottawa wanted to change this.

THE ISSUE All City swimming pools use some form of chlorine as its primary disinfectant, ranging from gas chlorine, calcium hypochlorite and sodium hypochlorite. The Provincial Pool Regulation R.R.O. 1990, Reg565 made under the Health Protection and Promotion Act RSO 1990 states “every owner and every operator shall ensure that the pool water is treated with chlorine, a chlorine compound, or a bromine compound by means of an adjustable dosing chlorine”.

When chlorine in the pool water combines with ammonia from user’s sweat, urine, contaminants, etc., it forms a series

The City of Ottawa, Ontario made a decision to invest in UV technology in order to address and improve air and water qual-ity at indoor pools for its patrons and staff and the benefits have been immediate and noticeable.

of compounds that can produce eye and throat irritation among other nuisances. These compounds, commonly called chloramines, are responsible for the chlorine-type smell of indoor pools. Some of these compounds, such as Nitrogen Trichloride, are denser than air and tend to remain close to the pool surface when they “off gas” out of water. This becomes problematic for competitive swimmers and/or leisure swimmers during swim sessions where they are breathing in this zone close to the water surface.

In response to the growing issues, the City of Ottawa re-viewed current technical and Health & Safety information on this subject to determine the best course of action.

APPROACH

To provide optimum interior environment conditions in a swimming pool involves a multi-prong approach:

1. Reduce Contamination The Ontario Pool Regulation requires showering prior to entering a pool. If you can reduce the amount of contamina-tion entering the pool, you reduce the amount of chlorine required to deal with it. Programming staff have implemented a campaign to inform users of this issue - additional signage at pools, information brochures, etc.

2. Mechanical Solutions Mechanical solutions include, properly designed and func-tioning air distribution systems, outside air volumes and pool filtration and water circulation systems, etc.

SEPTEMER 2012 07

3. Extra The City reviewed the existing conditions of City pool sys-tems, and determined that the additional use of ultraviolet pool disinfectant to support the chlorine-based systems would have merit. Ultraviolet systems can offer the following enhancements: Improves air quality by breaking down the chloramines that

are produced and contained within the supply water Reduces the frequency of superchlorination by reducing

the chloramines Sterilizing most organisms, including those that are chlorine

resistant

The City retained a mechanical engineering consultant to prepare specifications and drawings. During this process, they surveyed the pool mechanical rooms and selected ideal locations for the UV systems.

During a regularly scheduled pool shutdown, the necessary valves and bypasses where installed using a local plumb-ing contractor. This approach allows the UV system to be installed in the future with minimal disruption to the pool and to also allow the unit to be serviced, again, with minimal disruption to pool programming.

The UV specifications were based on the Siemens Barrier UV System (or equivalent). Several pool UV systems were tendered at one time in an effort to minimize the number of different units from a maintenance perspective and to realize savings due to additional volume of work.

To date, the City will consider three UV systems for use in the indoor pools: Siemens Engineered Treatment Systems Hanovia

OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS As a result of installing a UV system, the following issues should be considered: Decreased requirement for Breakpoint Chlorination Reduced associated chemical costs Reduced associated labour costs associated with super

chlorination Increased programmable time in the pool Decreased requirement of excess ventilation air Reduced associated utility costs for heating ventilation air

in winter Decreased requirement for chemical oxidizers such as

Potassium Monopersulphate

Increased consumption large system average power consumption is 10.3 kVA Annual UV maintenance costs Bulb replacement cost/effort recommended annually at a

cost of approximately $800 Wiper blade replacement

CAPITAL COSTS Supply and installation costs for a pool UV system range from $35,000 - $60,000 per unit depending on the required flow rate.

IMPACT/FEEDBACK An immediate and positive impact has been noticed at vari-ous pools that received the new UV systems.

“With the new UV system, swimming in our pool is as close as it gets to swimming in a pristine, clear lake. Overall, the pool water and air quality is great.” Marc Latreille, City of Ot-tawa Aquatics Recreation Supervisor II

“Since we have had the UV system installed, I have noticed a change in the air quality – the air does not have a heavy chlorine smell and it is easier to breathe on the pool deck. Clubs are not complaining during their swims and once they are done, the lane swimmers that follow are no longer com-plaining that it’s hard to breath because of the chloramines that are air borne. Since the UV system has been installed some of the previous common issues pertaining to pools such as coughs and irritated sinuses have not occurred,” Sue Chiumera, City of Ottawa Recreation Supervisor II.

CLOSING The City of Ottawa made a decision to invest in UV technol-ogy in order to address and improve air and water quality at indoor pools for its patrons and staff and the benefits have been immediate and noticeable as described earlier. The City intends to continue a program installing this technology in its other existing indoor pools and in new pools in the future.

08 SEPTEMBER 2012

Saskatchewan has a rich and diverse history in volunteerism. It is as old as our Province itself. For over a century, volun-teers have formed the backbone to the not-for-profit sector, made up today of over 8,000 community based organizations (CBOs). These organizations are diverse: sports and recre-ation groups, arts and culture organizations, human service agencies, food banks, meal programs, environmental orga-nizations, advocates for social justice, faith groups, social clubs, hospitals, heritage organizations and much more.

As neighbours met over coffee at the kitchen table and individuals and groups found common interest in a cause, passions were ignited to meet a need and community orga-nizations were formed. These early CBOs relied heavily on volunteers; they did not even consider having paid staff. In particular, women were counted on to respond to the social needs of the day. Early volunteer engagement was an exten-sion from active involvement in churches and ethnic groups. There was little thought given to recruitment, engagement and systems of management. People just helped because it was what they did.

During the depression years of the prairies, many found themselves and those around them in need. A large group of CBOs began during this time, many of them forming a relationship with governmental bodies. Change was needed. Over the following decades, more change was called for to respond to different community needs: an influx of nursing homes, fraternal groups and homes for developmentally dis-abled adults. Organizations focused on skills training, started

VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT CHANGE IS NEEDED...CHANGE STARTS HERE!

Change is needed, change in the way we think about volunteer en-gagement. Change in the way we recruit, manage and recognize volunteers. Change starts here.

to pop up. The post-war community had new needs. Change was needed.

Another immense swell of organizations were started in the 1970s and 1980s – and a new generation of volunteers were empowered to respond to community needs. With changing family dynamics, disposable income increasing and leisure programs developing, programs and systems to manage volunteers became more structured. In 1977, the Canadian Association of Volunteer Bureaux and Centres was created to serve as the national voice for volunteerism, mandated to act as the national body supporting and promoting the work of Canadian volunteer centres and volunteerism. It was later renamed Volunteer Canada. Resources, supports and best practices on volunteer engagement and management were now readily accessible in a central resource centre. Change was needed.

The following years saw a huge appearance of walks and runs, raising awareness and funds. This opened the door for new ways of engaging the community in volunteerism and participation in the issues that were important to them. CBOs too were opening doors, popping up quickly, despite funding challenges. Organizations became more formal with volun-teer engagement, many with staff positions now specifically designed to manage volunteers. Change was needed.

In 2001 the United Nations proclaimed the International Year of the Volunteer (IYV). This proclamation pointed to the rising awareness of the importance of volunteers in civil society.

SEPTEMBER 2012 09

Volunteer members of boards of directors and volunteers in-volved in service and program delivery were now recognized as having key roles within the sector and society. Whether they were responsible for overseeing fiscal and administra-tive directions of organizations or doing front-line program delivery to clients, they were now celebrated for the role they played in dealing with the social, economic, and political is-sues of the day. In the same year, United Way of Saskatoon & Area launched their community engagement program, Volunteer Saskatoon.

Clearly the voluntary sector in Saskatchewan, and the ways volunteers have been engaged in our work, has weathered many changes. We have become more formalized, respond-ing to conditions, witnessed downloading of responsibilities, shifts in priorities, policies, attitudes and increased economic growth. Urbanization, changes in lifestyles, work ethics, fam-ily structures, early retirement, technological advancements have all had profound impacts on the ways we participate in our community through volunteerism.

Saskatchewan continues to lead our country in volunteer involvement. Over 58% of us volunteer, and youth are more involved than ever before. The presence and contributions of volunteers are extremely significant. New research and new tools are readily available to ensure that volunteer en-gagement is meaningful, accessible for all, safe and flexible for today’s busy volunteer. But change is needed.

We ask of ourselves and of our organizations, teams or associations, many hard questions. “How adaptive are we in this time of change?”, “Can our staff team benefit from the professional skills that can be offered by volunteers?”, “Are we carving out the time to think creatively, involving our stakeholders in new ways of doing things?”, “How have we taken the lead to find new solutions to our recruitment, retention and engagement strategies?”, “Is volunteering respected in the culture of our organizations?”, “Have we made investments into this workforce base?” and “Does our organization desire to thrive with volunteer talent in the 21st century?”

Change is needed and change starts here.

There are indeed savvy managers who recognize the new momentum and opportunity to effectively engage citizens in their work. However, most CBOs are still letting extraordinary volunteer talent slip away.

Current research and trends clearly inform us that to capital-ize on the opportunity presented by today’s volunteer talent,

we need to expand our vision, integrate more and reinvent the ways our organizations support and manage that talent.

Key findings from the 2010 research Bridging the Gap (Volunteer Canada) remind us that we need to rethink the roles of volunteers, creating more compelling opportunities and hybrid models of volunteering. By assigning appropriate tasks and making the most of volunteer’s talents and skills, not only does the organization get more value, but these volunteers are also more likely to offer their time again. This study also highlights the growing trend of groups and families desiring to volunteer together, but that the greatest pitfall is that organizations don’t plan for and aren’t prepared to maxi-mize this kind of engagement.

One of today’s best practices to engage volunteers is to cre-ate experiences that develop strong attachments between the volunteer and the organization. Whether increasing responsibility, tailoring assignments to specific interests and motivations (which change and evolve) and providing training and in-person networking opportunities, one-time volunteers move into a more sustained commitment.

New technology has allowed CBOs to com-municate and work with volunteers in new ways. Not enough youth volunteers con-necting with your cause? Invite them in to develop a strategy to effectively reach out with technology.

Even with the best planning and management, the volun-tary sector organizations in our Province will always need to recruit new volunteers to support new or expanded programs and to replace those volunteers who inevitably stop com-ing. The most promising places to recruit this new volunteer talent will be among retired baby boomers, young people (millennials), religious groups and businesses.

Change is needed. Change starts here. A new wave of vol-unteer talent is building. Take advantage of this opportunity and significantly grow your impact; the rest will be left behind trying to make do the old way. Christine Epp Manager, Volunteer Saskatoon A community investment program of the United Way of Saskatoon & Area

For more resources visit www.volunteersaskatoon.com and www.volunteer.ca.

10 SEPTEMBER 2012

ENERGY RECOVERY HEAT PUMPS

Some recreation facilities have used geothermal style heat pumps as their primary refrigeration system for chilling the ice. Although at first this might appear to be a good idea, it can be done much better.

An ice rink refrigeration system is all about moving heat, which creates a tremendous energy source opportunity ready to be tapped for use with modified heat pumps. Some recreation facilities have actually used geothermal style heat pumps as their primary refrigeration system for chilling the ice. Although at first this might appear to be a good idea it can be done much better.

A much better approach in ice rink energy integration is a hybrid solution where an ultra-high efficient ammonia system is designed to provide the highest level of efficiency and reliability for the ice surface. The medium grade energy that is extracted from the ice is then transferred from the high efficient ammonia system to a properly designed energy re-covery heat pump for a final and efficient temperature boost to high grade energy for use within the public areas.

This provides the best of both worlds and the highest level of efficiency obtainable. When these two technologies are combined, two things happen. The ammonia system will be optimized at a low condensing temperature boosting its Coef-ficient of Performance (COP) in the neighborhood of 5.3. Using the high efficient ammonia system to extract the heat from the ice it is possible to provide a consistent energy sup-ply in the range of 70°F (21°C) to the energy recovery heat pumps. The energy recovery heat pump is now optimized by increasing its suction temperature thus boosting its COP in the neighborhood of 7.1.

The beauty of integrated ice rink energy construction is that the sub-floor heating grid can be designed as a ready to use 5 mile geo-thermal storage field already in place without the need to dig a single trench or drill a single bore hole. A typical ice rink refrigeration system rejects far more energy than can possibly be used within the facility, which makes it very easy to maintain the sub-floor energy storage cell at temperatures

well above a normal geothermal field. In essence it becomes a self replenishing geothermal system without the high con-struction costs.

In comparison to an air source heat pump or a geothermal heat pump, an energy recovery heat pump has an efficiency advantage in excess of 60% with consistent temperatures available throughout the year. You really get the best of both worlds and it truly becomes a heat pump on steroids.

To deliver the recovered energy into the occupied space, a radiant heating system with enhanced surface area not only provides the greatest level of comfort, it also provides the highest level of energy efficiency as well. Where a typical forced air heating system would require a minimum of 115°F (46°C) supply temperature for human comfort, a higher level of comfort can be obtained with temperatures as low as 95°F (35°C) with a properly designed radiant heating system. This translates into an additional 30% of energy savings over a conventional forced air heat pump system.

There are a number of very useful applications beyond comfort heating where these ultra-efficient heat pumps really shine. These hybrid systems provide useful energy at a frac-tion of the cost of natural gas, oil or traditional heat pumps.

Energy recovery heat pumps can provide the entire facility hot water building needs. You can further reduce natural gas consumption by providing the energy source for desiccant dehumidifiers.

Energy recovery heat pumps can provide heating for forced air heating units. An excellent application for energy recovery heat pumps is providing the pre-heat and post heat for enter-ing fresh on heat recovery ventilators.

SEPTEMBER 2012 11

If you are in a multi-purpose facility including a pool these heat pumps are excellent for dehumidification, heating the air and for heating of hot water for the swimming pools.

Energy recovery heat pumps can even provide preheating for building boiler systems.

An additional secondary realized energy savings is that when the energy is extracted from the ice rink condensing loop, it lowers the ice rink refrigeration system condensing tempera-ture which in turn improves its level of energy efficiency for a truly win-win situation.

The leading edge ultra-efficient 75,000 square foot Westhills community complex in Langford, British Columbia has three high performance energy recovery heat pumps manufactured by Accent Refrigeration Systems.

The first high performance heat pump provides radiant heating to 17,000 square feet of office space, hallways and bathrooms as well as serving 14 heat cool units throughout 35,000 square feet of public space and two bowling alleys and also provides heating to the entire fresh air requirement entering the building. The heating costs for the first four months of operation from September through December were less than $1,200.00 for the entire complex.

The second heat pump provides the energy source to power the customized dehumidifier also designed and installed by Accent Refrigeration. The cost of running energy for the de-humidifier has been averaging less than $250.00 per month.

The third energy recovery heat pump services the entire hot water requirement for the facility including all the dress-ing room showers, public wash rooms, two bowling alleys, lounge and a restaurant and kitchen facilities.

Art Sutherland Accent Refrigeration Systems Ltd. (205) 478-8885

LOTTERY LINGO

LUCKY LEAP WINS $10,000 ON FROGGER™ TICKET IN PRINCE ALBERT

The FROGGER™ SCRATCH ’N WIN lottery ticket is Jas-mine Head’s favourite game – maybe even more so now that she’s won $10,000! Jasmine bought about $20 worth of SCRATCH ’N WIN tickets at East Hill Esso, 2799 – 15th Avenue East in Prince Albert. She was pretty lucky, and had won about $50 on the other tickets, but her FROGGER™ was the luckiest of all. One of the three frogs had safely made it all the way to the finish line to win the second prize!

“I couldn’t believe it!” she said. “I had to check it almost 10 times!”

Jasmine gave the ticket to some family members to double – check, and in the end, she went back to the store to verify it with the retailer. “I was in shock,” she said. So far, Jasmine hasn’t made any plans for her winnings.

12 SEPTEMBER 2012

Recognizing the power of social media, the International Olympic Committee launched an interactive website for the London Games called the Olympic Athletes’ Hub. The site was designed to encourage fans to engage with athletes directly through social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Instagram. The site acted as a “hub” by group-ing social media activity of more than 2,000 Olympians to make it easier for fans to interact with and keep track of their favorite athletes.

Twitter.com blogged that there were over 150 million Tweets about the London 2012 Olympics sent over the duration of the Games. To put that into perspective, during the Vancou-ver 2010 Olympics more than 307,000 tweets contained the term “Olympics” on the first weekend of the Winter Games. In 2012, that number skyrocketed to more than 3.5 million Tweets on the opening weekend of the Summer Games in London.

Let’s take a look at the major trending topics of London 2012 Olympic competition, as measured by Tweets per minute (TPM):

Usain Bolt (@UsainBolt) of Jamaica wins gold in 200m sprint: 80,000+ TPM

Usain Bolt wins gold in 100m sprint: 74,000+ TPM

Andy Murray (@andy_murray) of Great Britain wins gold in men’s tennis singles: 57,000+ TPM

Jamaica wins gold and sets the world record in the men’s 4x100 relay: 52,000+ TPM

Team USA beats Spain to win gold in men’s basketball: 41,000+ TPM

Using Twitter, fans were able to follow and interact with their favourite athletes and gain a sense of what the athletes were

THE 2012 TWITTER GAMES The games of the 30th Olympiad in London, England were hailed as the world’s first social media Olympics. Fans were involved in a viewer experi-ence unlike any other using a combination of television, the internet and so-cial media. In these Games, fans and Olympians interacted with each other like never before as spectator sports and social media came together.

experiencing before, during and after competition. For ex-ample, the USA Men’s basketball team posted daily pictures of team bonding and what life was like for them during their Olympic experience. Usain Bolt took home the record for being the most discussed athlete of the Games. Relatively unknown Gold Medal winners such as the USA’s Gabby Douglas, Woman’s All Round Gymnastics Champion, be-came instant celebrities, followed by hundreds of thousands of new found fans.

Fans worldwide supported the Canadian Woman’s Soccer team as they inspired the country by winning a bronze medal after a controversial loss earlier to the USA. The Canadian men’s 4x100 relay team were sent heartfelt condolences as the world witnessed their heartbreak. World Leaders includ-ing Prime Minister Stephen Harper got into the buzz as he used Twitter to congratulate Canadian athletes on their performances.

But the Twitter Games were not without its problems. Sev-eral Olympic athletes were expelled from competing in the Games because of malicious Tweets. The men’s cycling road race was plagued with technical problems as they were unable to transmit GPS-based race information due to exces-sive use of mobile networks, including Twitter. The impact of Twitter on the Games was indeed, a learning curve.

While modern technology has changed the way athletes train for the Olympics, so has the technology surrounding how we watch and interact with the Olympic Games and its athletes. The evolution of social media and Olympic coverage will con-tinue as we wait in anticipation for Sochi, Russia, in 2014.

Sandra Jackle SPRA Consultant - Communications

Sources Consulted: http://blog.twitter.com/2012/08/olympic-and-twitter-records.html http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/01/tech/social-media/welcome-twitter-olympics/index.html

SEPTEMBER 2012 13

for Over 37

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Canada`s Leader in SPORT CONTRACTING

QR CODES: A CALL TO ACTION!You may have noticed that Quick Response codes (QR codes) have achieved widespread use this year – and for good reason! Consumers want immediate access to what’s relevant and QR codes are being used to make that possible. QR codes are similar to a barcode used on retail products with the key difference being that QR codes hold more information. If you see a QR code, you can scan or read it with your Smartphone and it will link you to a website.

Want to try it? Use your Smartphone to download a QR code reader, scan the QR code above and it will take you directly to the brochure for SPRA’s 66th Annual Conference and AGM taking place October 18 - 20, 2012 in Melfort, Saskatchewan!

Your QR Codes Could Link To:• Your website where users can find new information• Valuable coupons and special offers• Customer feedback forms• Sources for replacement parts and service• Free mp3 downloads

The potential for QR Codes is limitless. What’s most exciting is how they take what technology social media is doing well now, bringing people together with technology and extending it to enhance the experience.

Thinking About How You Can Use QR Codes? Try These Ideas:• On your business card• Your brochures and other marketing materials• The sides of trucks and trailers• Product tags and packaging• Convention and event nametags• Event ticket stubs• Point-of-sale receipts

14 SEPTEMBER 2012

OCTOBER 10 - 13, 2012 2012 Communities in Bloom National Awards and Symposium Edmonton, Alberta This National Symposium is an excellent opportunity for anybody interested in Communities in Bloom or the parks sector to network and learn more about our field. Programming covers areas of sustainability, volunteerism, horticulture, grant writing and more. For a full program of events and to access a registration form, visit www.communitiesinbloom.ca.

OCTOBER 18 - 20, 2012 SPRA Conference and Annual General Meeting Melfort, SK The 2012 SPRA Conference and AGM will bring together recreation practitioners, parks and facility operators and volunteers from across the Province to learn the latest information and trends in the parks and recreation field. For additional information, contact the City of Melfort at (306) 752-5911, or visit www.spra.sk.ca/spraconference.

NOVEMBER 2 - 4, 2012 SaskFit Saskatoon, SK SaskFit is Saskatchewan’s premier Fitness and Health Conference and is attended by Fitness Leaders and enthusiasts throughout the Province. SaskFit is very happy to welcome Denis Collier who will be presenting his signature seminar, “Fitter, Leaner, Healthier”. For additional information, call SPRA at 1-800-563-2555, or visit www.spra.sk.ca/saskfit.

NOVEMBER 5 - 6, 2012 Nonprofit Summit Saskatoon, SK The “Saskatchewan Network of Nonprofit Organizations” is a dialogue and process to seek out information and build consensus on the need for and role of an organization that will address issues common to nonprofit organizations in Saskatchewan. The focus of the Nonprofil Summit will be on engaging senior decision makers from a reasonable mix of organizations across the sector. Visit www.surveymonkey.com/s/nonprofitsummitregistry-snno

EVENTSNOVEMBER 20 - 22, 2012 Becoming a HIGH FIVE® Trainer Regina, SK This workshop is designed for individuals who have an interest in becoming a HIGH FIVE® Principles of Healthy Child Development (PHCD) and/or QUEST Facilitator. The 2 ½ day workshop will provide all the tools, resources and education to facilitate fun and quality HIGH FIVE® courses. For additional information, visit www.spra.sk.ca/highfive.

NOVEMBER 22, 2012 Becoming a HIGH FIVE® Sport Trainer Regina, SK This workshop is designed for HIGH FIVE® Trainers to gain the knowledge to facilitate HIGH FIVE® Sport workshops. For additional information, visit www.spra.sk.ca/highfive.

For more events, visit www.spra.sk.ca/events.

SEPTEMBER 2012 15

GRANTS AND FUNDINGSOGO ACTIVE GRANTS Your group can receive from $250 - $1,000 (if required) to support activities for youth ages 13 - 19. Challenge Grants – Apply to receive up to $500 to support youth physical activity programs that are ongoing (3 times a week for a minimum of 4 weeks).Event Grants – Apply to receive up to $250 to support a one-time youth physical activity event (approximately 1 - 4 days in length). For details, contact Karen Thompson, SPRA Consul-tant - Leadership and Evaluation at (306) 780-9389.

COMMUNITY VITALITY PROGRAM Application deadline: October 1, 2012Apply for a small capital project grant or a community pride events and milestones grant.

For more grants and funding information, visit the SPRA website at www.spra.sk.ca/funding or www.spra.sk.ca/otherfunding.

16 SEPTEMBER 2012

With over 4,500 ice surfaces installed around the world,CIMCO Refrigeration can provide a range ofexpertise unmatched by any other company.

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SEPTEMBER 2012 17

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18 SEPTEMBER 2012

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SEPTEMBER 2012 19

20 SEPTEMBER 2012

Serving Saskatchewan for 40 Years Ron Seibel – Commercial Manager

Ph. (306)525-0508 Fax (306)757-5918 Toll-free in SK 1-800-668-7668

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1-800-265-5462 henderson-recreation.com

Henderson has been bringing the fun to playgrounds across Canada since 1971. As the nation’s leading playground maker, we offer a full range of products to satisfy every child. From our flagship PlaySteel line to our new and exciting climbing rocks, play sculptures and rope play products, we have what it takes to make your project a success. Visit our new and improved website to learn more. Protect the fun!

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SEPTEMBER 2012 21

PERFECT FOR25M POOLS!

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Supported by:Publication Mail Agreement #41967532

Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to:

SPRA • 100 – 1445 Park Street • Regina, SK • S4N 4C5 email: office@spra.sk.ca

ICE RESURFACERS

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Ask about our offseasonreconditioning program!

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