TORONTO, Jan. 6 /CNW/ - Today, Green Communities Canada, Walk and Bike for Life and walkON are launching Ontario Communities walkON, a program that will, over the next three years, help make 24 Ontario cities and towns more walkable.
 A walkable community allows people to choose to walk to local destinations, rather than take the car. Ontario Communities walkON is based on the success of walkON, six community partnerships of the Ontario Heart Health Program who collaborate to engage and support their communities to create environments that support walking (www.walkon.ca).
walkON works in partnership with politicians, planners, engineers, and citizens from 17 community groups, using comprehensive, easy-to-use resources and tools designed to educate, empower and inspire community members.
Brantford is one of the communities currently involved in walkON. Brantford's Mayor Hancock states: "I am in complete support of the Ontario Communities walkON program. A walkable community is more sociable, less polluted, more relaxed, a healthier and more pleasant place to live. Building a walkable community will encourage more people to make their lives richer through walking." Jacky Kennedy, Director of Walking Programs for Green Communities Canada, believes Ontario Communities walkON will be the catalyst for a much-needed shift in transportation thinking across the province.
"When given priority in community plans, walking can play a significant role in meeting local transportation demand management goals, by shifting motorized trips to active travel," says Kennedy. "The implications for reducing traffic congestion are huge and so are the associated benefits: boosting local economies, improving human health through daily physical activity, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants."
Ontario Communities walkON is generously supported by a three-year, $248,500 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (www.trilliumfoundation.org). The Foundation is an agency of the Government of Ontario and works to help build healthy and vibrant communities by strengthening the capacity of the voluntary sector through investments in community-based initiatives.
Green Communities Canada (www.gca.ca) is a national association of non-profit organizations that deliver innovative, practical environmental solutions to Canadian households and communities. In 2007, the organization launched a Walkolution, with the coordination of the successful World Record Walk event (www.worldrecordwalk.ca) and co-hosting the Walk21 Toronto 2007 conference with the City of Toronto (www.toronto.ca/walk21).
Walk & Bike for Life (www.walkandbikeforlife.org) is a Canadian based non-profit organization with an international outlook. The organization is dedicated to promoting walking and bicycling as activities and urban parks and trails as great public spaces. The goal of Walk and Bike for Life is to contribute to the creation of vibrant cities and healthy communities where there are great places that can be enjoyed by all.
<< Ontario Communities walkON Media Backgrounder
What are Walkable Communities? Walkable communities are healthy, vibrant communities, where citizens rely less on their cars and choose walking more often as a form of everyday transportation. Walkable communities encourage walking by making it safe, convenient, and attractive to do so, which is important for many reasons: - Health
- Regular, daily walking reduces health risks such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease (http://www.active2010.ca/Documents/active2010-strategy-e.pdf); (http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3820627/k.DB5D/Th e_built_environment_physical_activiy_heart_disease_and_stroke.htm); "Walking is the nearest activity to perfect exercise" - Professor J. Morris and Dr. Adrianne Hardman, 1997 (http://www.ramblers.org.uk/info/factsandfigures/health.htm)
 - Environment - Replacing short car trips with walking can improve local air quality and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, helping Ontarians meet climate change objectives. A short trip on foot to school by 9 families participating in a 'walking school bus' can reduce greenhouse gases by 1,000 kg over one year (http://www.saferoutestoschool.ca/)
- Traffic - More people walking means less congestion on roads, reduced requirements for road infrastructure and maintenance, and more awareness of pedestrians by drivers thereby increasing pedestrian safety (http://www.railstotrails.org/resources/documents/whatwedo/atfa/ATFA_ 20081020.pdf) - Community cohesion - More people walking encourages even more people to walk, increasing social interaction, lessening crime and vandalism due to more eyes on the streets, heightening the sense of community belonging, pride, and spirit (Leyden,K. Social Capital and the Built Environment: The Importance of Walkable Neighbourhoods, American Journal of Public Health 2003; 93: 1546 -51).
- Economy - When a population shift to walking occurs, health care costs are reduced as a result of the health benefits of walking; when business districts cater to walkers instead of drivers their prosperity increases; highly walkable districts are magnets for tourism (Go for Green, The Business Case for Active Transportation, March 2004)
- Fuel savings - Individuals save money by using their cars less, and demand for a dwindling supply of oil is lessened. (http://www.railstotrails.org/resources/documents/whatwedo/atfa/ATFA_ 20081020.pdf) >> The Development of walkON walkON (www.walkon.ca) was developed by staff from six Ontario Heart Health: Taking Action for Health Living Projects and health units from Niagara Region, Haldimand-Norfolk, Brant County, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, Halton Region, and the Region of Waterloo.
Working in partnership with politicians, planners, engineers, and citizens from 17 community groups, walkON has created comprehensive, easy-to-use resources and tools designed to educate, empower and inspire community members.
<< Examples of Walkable Community initiatives supported by walkON to date
- The highly visible "Blue Bridge" pedestrian bridge crossing highway 403 in Brantford (http://www.healthylivingbrant.com/node/186);
- An innovative School Travel Planning pilot (http://www.saferoutestoschool.ca/schooltravel.asp) and a Walkability Working Group in the Region of Waterloo (http://www.region.waterloo.on.ca/web/health.nsf/0/3304018ABBFE6FB585 25717F00640305/$file/Walkability_Report.pdf?openelement) - The creation of beautiful murals along a previously depressing section of trail in Thorold (http://thoroldmurals.com/Home.html)
- Dufferin County Council has shown real leadership in taking responsibility for the creation of a Regional Trails/Active Transportation Master Plan and is partnering with Headwaters Communities in Action (a grass-roots citizen group who have championed trails)
>> We Have a Long Way to Go Across Canada, only about 12% of trips to the grocery store, work, the library or school are made on foot or by bicycle. While this is higher than the 7% rate in the United States, it is much lower than in the Netherlands (46%) and Denmark (41%) (Pucher J, Dijkstra L. Promoting safe walking and cycling to improve public health: lessons from the Netherlands and Germany. American Journal of Public Health 2003; 93(9):1509-1516).
For further information: Mandy Johnson, Program Consultant, Green Communities Canada, (647) 448-6659, toll free: (877) 533-4098, mjohnson@greencommunitiescanada.org

e! Science News (January 5, 2009 Source: University of Exeter) reports on two studies, presented today at a major academic conference, that reveal the gender difference in activity levels among school children and the over 70s.

Both studies show males to be more physically active than females. The two studies are being presented at the UK Society for Behavioural Medicine annual conference (incorporating the National Prevention Research Initiative conference) at the University of Exeter (UK).

A study focusing on primary schools in Liverpool (UK) gives the first evidence of the difference in girls' and boys' activity levels in the playground. The findings reveal that girls take part in 6% less vigorous playtime activity than boys. The researchers also found a correlation between large group activities and moderate-vigorous physical activity.

The preliminary results of a National Prevention Research Initiative (NPRI) funded project on activity levels among the over-70s mirror these results. Previous research has shown that people become less physically active as they grow older, but little is known about their activity patterns or what makes some more active than others. The results so far show men to be significantly more active than women.

Dr Nicky Ridgers of Liverpool John Moores University was a research fellow on the A-CLASS Project, part of which involved observing 10 and 11 year-old children in the school playground. She found that girls and boys play differently. Girls tend to spend time in smaller groups and engage in verbal games, conversation and socialising. Most boys play in larger groups, which lend themselves more to physically active games, such as football.

From the Canada NewsWire (december 11, 2008)

McGuinty Government To Introduce Mandatory Reporting Legislation In 2009

TORONTO, Dec. 11 /CNW/ - NEWS A new report about school safety will help guide and strengthen requirements for staff to report serious incidents. New legislation to be introduced this spring will, if passed, make reporting serious incidents, including assaults, to the principal mandatory.

This follows the release of the new Safe Schools Action Team report, Shaping a Culture of Respect in Our Schools: Promoting Safe and Healthy Relationships. The report also calls for action to address serious issues like gender-based violence, homophobia, sexual harassment and inappropriate sexual behaviour between students in schools.

The Ontario government asked the Safe Schools Action Team (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/nr/08.12/bg1211.html) in February to examine these issues. Its report summarizes the team's findings and recommends areas for action. The government will provide a comprehensive response over time that builds on its safe schools strategy. In addition to the proposed legislation, it will be:
- Providing further support to school staff to respond and take action to stop any further school incidents
- Improving requirements for timely and ongoing communication between schools and parents of both victims and perpetrators
- Working with education partners to revise the curriculum to ensure gender-based violence, homophobia, sexual harassment and inappropriate sexual behaviour are discussed in the classroom
- Developing a manual to help staff respond to incidents of sexual assault
- Expanding the school climate surveys (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/safeschools/bullying.html) to help schools assess perceptions of safety.

QUOTES
"Ensuring the safety of our students is a key priority for our government. This report will guide our further actions to help make ours chools even safer," said Education Minister Kathleen Wynne (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/general/biography/edu_minister.html).

"I want to thank everyone who contributed during the consultation process, in particular those students who provided the action team with their valuable advice. I am confident that the actions we recommended will help to foster positive and safe learning environments in our schools," said Liz Sandals (http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/members/members_detail.do?locale=en&ID=2115), Chair of the Safe Schools Action Team and Parliamentary Assistant to Minister Wynne.

QUICK FACTS
- The Safe Schools Action Team consulted over 200 people in the development of this report.
- Bullying and harassment can affect a student's health, mental well- being and school success, according to a 2008 study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (http://webx.newswire.ca/click/?id=55f22dd581731b6).
- Sexual harassment and gender-based violence disproportionately affect female students, including those for whom race, class, sexual minority status or disability are a factor (page 6 of the report (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/safeschools/publications.html)).
- Every Ontario school board must have a Code of Conduct to foster respect and inclusion in schools.

LEARN MORE
Read the report (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/safeschools/publications.html).
Find out what else Ontario is doing to help make schools safer. (http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/parents/safeschools.html)

Physical activity benefits all children, including those with disabilities.  For children with disabilities, participation in sports and recreational activities promotes inclusion, minimizes deconditioning, optimizes physical functioning, and enhances overall well-being.  Despite these benefits, children with disabilities are more restricted in their participation, have lower levels of fitness, and have higher levels of obesity than their peers without disabilities.  This may be in part due to parents overestimating the risks or overlooking the benefits of physical activity in children with disabilities.  When making decisions about their child's participation, parents must consider overall health status, individual activity preferences, safety precautions, and availability of appropriate programs and equipment.  All children need to participate in appropriate physical activity.

(Murphy, N. A., Carbone, P. S., and the Council on Children with Disabilities (2008) Promoting the participation of children with disabilities in sports, recreation, and physical activities.  Pediatrics 121(5), 1057-1061.)

The Nova News (December 7, 2008 By: Nick Moase) writes that twenty-seven Grade 6 students are part of the P.L.A.Y. program at Dr. John C Wickwire Academy. The students run games and activities for Grade 2 and three classes during lunchtime.

P.L.A.Y. stands for Playground Leader Activities for Youth. Twenty-seven students from the Grade 6 classes were trained in positive leadership and how to organize games. Each day, two of the students go out during the Grade 2-3 lunch hour to play games and keep them active.

The program has three main goals. One is to increase physical activity with a variety of games.The second is to reduce bullying on the playground. According to Dr. Debra Pepler, a psychologist from the University of Manitoba, if children are bored, there are many opportunities for them to bully others. Organized and fun activities can decrease the chances of that happening.The third goal is to provide leadership opportunities for students, increasing self-esteem, problem-solving skills, and organization.

The program also received some of its funding through a grant from the Nova Scotia Teachers Union, which was used to buy equipment for the students to use. Even in the first few weeks of the program staff have noticed a change in the students.

The Globe & Mail (December 4, 2008 By: CARLY WEEKS) writes that only about one-third of elementary-school children walk or bike to school, according to a new study from the University of Montreal that highlights the public health concerns of a sedentary lifestyle.

The findings, based on research involving nearly 1,500 pupils in two Quebec cities, are a factor in the growing obesity epidemic facing families across Canada, according to the study's researchers. And the pattern won't be easy to break, considering that many rushed parents find it easiest to drop their kids off at school, and many families live too far from school to consider walking.

Even though the majority of the children studied live less than one kilometre from school, fewer walk or ride their bikes than a few decades ago, the researchers found. In 1971, about 80 per cent of Canadian children aged 7 and 8 walked to school, according to a previous study. That compares with about 35 per cent of the elementary pupils in the new study.

The movement away from walking or biking to school exacerbates a growing concern that few Canadian children are receiving the amount of physical activity they need to stay healthy. An increasing number of children get rides to school, either on a bus or from their parents, the study said. Part of the reason is that more children attend specialized or private schools today than they did a few decades ago, and these are often not located in the family's neighbourhood. But in many cases, the decline in walking was the result of parents relying on their cars to get to work and finding it most convenient to drop their children off rather than walk with them to school.

The study suggests that schools should adopt promotional programs that educate and raise awareness of the benefits "active travel" to school can have on a child's health.

Partnership provides communities opportunity to install fun, open access, outdoor gym equipment

Toronto (ONTARIO) December 3, 2008 – ParticipACTION is encouraging municipalities, schools, community organizations and businesses to install easy-to-use, weather resistant outdoor fitness and gym equipment in parks, school yards, office grounds and public spaces to help their communities get active and stay healthy. Through its new partnership with GreenGym, ParticipACTION will provide a grant equivalent to 10 percent of the purchase price back to the communities that install GreenGym outdoor fitness equipment. 

“Being active outdoors is a great way to improve your health while escaping the pressures of everyday life,” says Kelly Murumets, President and CEO, ParticipACTION. “GreenGym provides Canadians the tools to get active in a relaxed, outdoor setting at no cost. We hope organizations take advantage of this new partnership and bring a GreenGym to their community.”

GreenGym’s outdoor fitness equipment can be easily installed in public parks, along paths, at senior homes or added to existing playgrounds. The outdoor gym concept is a means of providing communities with infrastructure for youth, adults and older adults to get active and stay healthy. GreenGym offers a range of outdoor fitness equipment to suit all needs and, instead of weights, uses one’s own body weight for resistance. 

As physical inactivity rates skyrocket in Canada, ParticipACTION, the national voice for physical activity and sport participation in Canada, wants organizations to see the importance of providing outdoor fitness equipment and gyms to their community. That’s why ParticipACTION is providing purchasers of GreenGym equipment with a grant equivalent to 10 percent of the total purchase price. ParticipACTION hopes that organizations buying the equipment will use the grant to support current or new physical activity programs such as promoting physical activity, offering free access to recreation facilities, or supplementing funds to create more built infrastructure for physical activity.  

“We’re delighted to partner with ParticipACTION, an organization that shares our vision and goals – a healthier and more active Canada,” says Guy Chaham, Executive Director, GreenGym. “We really do hope that organizations understand how equal and open access to fitness infrastructure can encourage healthy, active living.”    

About ParticipACTION
ParticipACTION is the national voice for physical activity and sport participation in Canada. Originally established in 1971, ParticipACTION was relaunched in 2007 in response to the looming inactivity and obesity crisis that faces Canada. As a national not-for-profit organization solely dedicated to inspiring and supporting healthy and active living for Canadians, it works with its partners, which include sport, physical activity, recreation organizations, government and corporate sponsors, to inspire and support Canadians to move more. ParticipACTION is generously supported by Sport Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. For more information, visit www.participACTION.com.  

About GreenGym
As the first company in Canada to introduce the outdoor gym concept, GreenGym is 100% focused on the outdoor fitness products. Its focus helps it to be the leader in providing the most advanced equipment on the market with a never-ending emphasis on product development and safety enhancements.      

GreenGym is:
•  A leader in safety. GreenGym’s new units are the safest in the world.
•  The only provider of outdoor fitness equipment with wheelchair accessibility line of products.
•  Offering very competitive pricing on our first class equipment.
•  Offering largest variety, boasting a complete product line of over 40 different units. 

For more information visit www.greengym.ca   

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For more information, to schedule an interview or for photos, please contact:

Andrea Wooland Hill & Knowlton Canada
(416) 413-4698
andrea.wooland@hillandknowlton.ca

The India Times (December 3, 2008) writes that kids who learn how to kick, catch and throw are more likely to grow into active and fit. The finding indicates that it is not enough just to try to get kids more active - they need to be taught important motor skills, such as to kick, catch and throw, as well.

The Physical Activity and Skills Study (PASS) led by Sydney University doctoral candidate Lisa Barnett is the first study to examine whether childhood motor skill proficiency affects teens' cardio-respiratory fitness and physical activity. It studied 276 students aged 10 and 11 years who had already been assessed for motor skills when they were in grades four and five. It found children skilled in the kick, catch and throw were more likely to be fitter, and almost 20 percent more likely to participate in vigorous physical activity as teens. Adolescents who had mastered object control skills as children were also more likely to be involved in at least half an hour more moderate to vigorous exercise a day than those who hadn't mastered object control skills as children. Their engagement in more sports and physical activity was due to higher levels of perceived sports competence, the study found.

Durham Region News (November 19, 2008) reports that many of Durham's Grade 5 students are getting a leg up on healthy living with a free pass that allows to them to swim and skate for free.

Durham Lives! is offering Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa and Clarington students the Action Pass, which gives them free access to public swimming and skating at local rec centres. Normally, they would be required to pay an admission fee or buy a membership.

The organization is a coalition of individuals and agencies working to prevent chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. The organization is hoping that by taking away the cost of the activities, they'll encourage more children to participate.

To grab a pass, students can visit their local rec complex or the Durham Family YMCA in Oshawa. They should bring the letter they receive from their school about the program and proof of address and date of birth.

For more information about the Grade 5 Action Pass or other Durham Lives! Initiatives, call 905-668-7711, ext. 3172, or visit www.durhamlives.org.

The Times&Transcript (Novmeber 17th, 2008 By: By Sherri Gallant THE CANADIAN PRESS) reports that many Canadian schools are bringing back schoolyard games into the lives of children. One such program is called Positive Playgrounds, developed by Pearl Marko of Edmonton.

A decade ago, Marko noticed that the kids at her son's school seemed to be standing idly at recess with nothing to do, their boredom eroding their physical and perhaps even their emotional well-being. Teachers at Coalhurst Elementary School, west of Lethbridge, adopted Marko's approach three years ago, and found that not only were there immediate benefits for the children in learning to play physical games again, but unexpected bonuses for the school staff, as well.

When one teacher takes the kids for an hour each Monday to teach them new games, the other teachers get that hour to collaborate and plan. The students take what they've learned out into the playground at recess and lunch break, signing out equipment (funded through an innovative program grant from Palliser Schools) that's kept at the front office.

Using Marko's Positive Playgrounds manual to get started, the school made it a weekly program. The kids are skipping, playing hopscotch, mini sticks, tag and jacks. They're getting exercise, learning new social skills and having a lot more fun. Because their weekly groups are comprised of mixed classrooms and ages, they're meeting new friends they might not otherwise get to know. And the older ones are mentoring the younger ones.

The manual for the old-fashioned games revived by Marko's program are laid out with clear instructions for the uninitiated, and teachers can add their own if they wish. Some games require simple equipment, but many do not.