Take steps by

• being active yourself;
• working with your neighbours to improve your community;
• helping everyone in your community feel they belong.

Start by Being Active Yourself

When you’re active, others are inspired to be more active as well. Say you decide to walk more, or join a sports team, or play active games such as tennis or hide-and-seek. Invite friends and neighbours to join in. Seeing your positive example, they are more likely to get started.

What holds true for the community works in families as well. Active kids often have active parents, because children watch their parents and learn from them. If you’re active every day and show your kids that being active is fun, they will want to be active too. Sometimes it’s as simple as saying “Let’s do something fun outside.” By turning off the TV and being active, you model healthy choices.

If you’re interested in an activity, joining a group may help you get started and keep going. Many women enjoy walking clubs because they can be active and visit at the same time. If there is a community league in your area, it may offer activities you’d enjoy.

What about the seniors’ centre, churches, or sport clubs? You might also start your own group. These days, many people know they need to be active: they just need a reason to start. Belonging to a club or group can help you and your neighbours move towards being more active and healthy.

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Work with Your Neighbours to Improve Your Community

If you see things that need to be changed, take action! Your local parks and recreation staff, community league or town council should hear about your ideas. Even if you see much that needs to be done, don’t be discouraged. You don’t need to tackle the entire community at once.

Smaller changes are often easier to make. As a bonus, small successes help convince people that bigger projects will work.

Remember, too, that there is strength in numbers. Talk to your neighbours and friends about what’s needed to make your community active and healthy. Some communities have invited everyone to get involved through walkabouts and workshops. Look for groups that share your concerns. You might find allies in local schools, senior centres, shops, community leagues, revitalization zones, sports groups, universities, or other communities.

Together with like-minded neighbours, build a clear idea of what you want to accomplish. Perhaps you can work with your local school to start a walking school bus or with your community league to advocate for safer streets. At each step of the way, remember to listen to each other. The more we respect other viewpoints and work together, the more good we can accomplish. Once you agree, act and speak together. Many voices are louder than one voice alone.

How can you make yourselves heard? Think about how news travels in your community, and use whatever channels work best. Those might include newsletters, letters and emails to political and recreation leaders, town council meetings, letters to the editor, notices on bulletin boards, and media events. Don’t be afraid to show how much you care.

Get to know politicians and staff who can influence the changes you’d like to see. Look for ways to piggyback on work that’s already planned. Examples include adding a bike lane when a street is repaved or by making sure a new subdivision is designed for active living. Even when progress seems slow, stick with it. The projects that have committed champions are the ones that get done.

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Involve Everyone in the Community

In a healthy active community everyone feels that they belong. Some communities have places that help people feel they belong if they are newcomers, immigrants, seniors, or teens. Look for a seniors’ centre, teen club, newcomers’ club, or immigrant organization in your community to help you and your family find a place to fit in. Sometimes by being part of a group we enjoy we become comfortable meeting new people and doing new things.

Here are some things to look for in your community that could help everyone be more active. Is your playground inviting for children? Can students safely walk to school? Are walkways and crossings safe, so older people can walk to the store? Do trails and bike routes encourage cycling to work as well as for fun? Is there a community skating rink? A skateboarding park? Are stores and services mixed in with housing, so people don’t always need to drive to do their errands? Do public policies invite active living?

Celebrate Your Successes

When your community takes a step toward being more active, celebrate! Be generous with your thanks. Salute the staff and volunteers involved. Use this success as a springboard to an even more active community.

By being a role model, speaking out with your neighbours, and helping everyone in your community be more active, you can make a difference. Step by step, you can help your community become more active and healthy.

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Learn More

Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research (ACICR)
ACICR’s Community Injury Control Fund provides grants to help Alberta communities make themselves more safe. ACICR also is connected with the Alberta Traffic Safety Foundation, which awards grants up to $10,000 to help community traffic safety and injury prevention projects.

Community Activity Quotient
This tool measures a community's “Activity Quotient” on 35 activity-friendly items, including safety, facilities, leadership, and more.

Gardening: Sharing a Community Garden
Community gardens allow neighbours to share a common space in order to grow a garden. These gardens are a great way for people who lack space on their property or who live in apartments to enjoy both the benefits of physical activity and eating fresh vegetables.

How Can We Encourage an Active Living Community?
Listed are a number of ideas and examples for schools, cities, employers and everyone else!

Walkable Communities
You’ll find excellent strategies for community advocacy at the non-profit Walkable Communities. This group helps communities become more pedestrian friendly. The site includes “How Can I Find and Help Build a Walkable Community?”