BARRHEAD- In 1975, the pet rock fad hit North America, and for about six months, the pets were all the rage.
The Barrhead Wellness Connection is hoping that history will repeat itself in a fashion, as they invite local residents to paint inspirational phrases on rocks and place them along the Barrhead Blue Heron Walking Trail.
The idea said committee member Scott Robins is to inspire people to become more physically active and thus improve their overall wellness.
The Blue Heron Walking Trail is a 10.5-kilometre walking trail that encompasses the vast majority of the Town of Barrhead.
"We are inviting individuals and groups to paint rocks and put on inspirational or words of kindness and take them along with you on a walk on the Blue Heron trail and leave them behind for people to look at or even collect," he said. "We are encouraging people to take one, leave one to engage the community and to make exercise more enjoyable."
The ideas the Barrhead Wellness Connection is a collection of community groups such as the Barrhead Scouts, the Barrhead Public Library, the Barrhead self-advocacy group (a loose association of individuals trying to raise awareness about developmental disabilities) and representatives from Barrhead's municipal councils.
The Barrhead Wellness Connection formed two years ago after local Alberta Health Services (AHS) health promoter Terry Flemmer applied for a $20,000 Healthy Communities Initiative (AHCI) grant in the spring of 2019.
The initiative provided funding through three-year grants via the Alberta Cancer Prevention Legacy Fund (ACLPF).
The grant was available to 60 communities. Its purpose is to help develop sustainable community grassroots initiatives to improve the health of a community. The Town of Barrhead is one of 20 rural municipalities participating in the program.
As part of the grant, ACLPF provides additional tools such as access to a library of information gathered by participating communities and a facilitator to help develop the plan without having to tap into the grant.
Flemmer, at a March 2019 Town of Barrhead council meeting, noted the ideal goal of this group is that the community will have created a healthier environment that will improve health and wellness and therefore reducing the strain on local healthcare resources.
She added community health initiatives are urgently needed, especially in northern Alberta.
According to AHS statistics, the northern zone has the highest rate of cancer and chronic disease.
“ACLPF has been working to reduce those rates by reducing risk factors such as tobacco use, increasing physical activity, reducing exposure to UV [ultraviolet] rays and limiting alcohol consumption,” Flemmer said.
“In Barrhead, data shows [2016 health surveillance data from AHS’ Healthier Together website] shows us that the three biggest risk factors are lack of physical activity [74 per cent], lack of fruit and vegetable intake [55.4 per cent] and a high rate of obesity [69 per cent].”
Robin said the Barrhead Wellness Connection hopes to engage the community in other ways to promote well-being, but in the immediate future, they look forward to being able to work with the town and Barrhead CARES to promote the all-wheel park survey.
At the June 10 town council meeting, it was announced that the municipality would be circulating a survey, asking would-be users of an all-wheel park what features they would like to see.
The municipality has set $800,000 aside in the 2021 Capital Budget for the project. However, chief administrative officer Edward LeBlanc has stated to the Barrhead Leader that, more than likely, the funds will be rolled into the 2022 Capital Budget, due to delays in the consultation portion of the project from the pandemic.
Barry Kerton, TownandCountryToday.com
