Resources | Alberta Centre for Active Living

Settings: Communities

On this page, the work of the Alberta Centre for Active Living is listed first. Then all other links are listed alphabetically.

A Snapshot of Regina's Organizations at Work on the Determinants of Community Well-being
Alberta Centre for Active Living
PDF file, 4 pages Published: Dec 2012 GeoOrigin: Alberta	This Research Update article discusses some important research initiated by a group of community-based social service organizations in Regina, in relation to several determinants of community well-being. It outlines SPHERU’s role in completing analyses of the data and reporting on the findings from the research.
	Keywords: communities, health promotion

Active Edmonton: Lessons Learned
Alberta Centre for Active Living
PDF file, 4 pages Published: Aug 2008 GeoOrigin: Alberta	Active Edmonton is one of several physical activity promotion initiatives that have taken off in the last few years. As Active Edmonton reaches a turning point, it's important to reflect on successes and challenges. This WellSpring article looks back at Edmonton's first five years and shares the lessons learned from that period.
	Keywords: active communities, behaviour change, healthy communities, initiatives, programs, social marketing, communities

Active Transportation - You and Your Community
Alberta Centre for Active Living
PDF file, 4 pages Published: Jun 2012 GeoOrigin: Alberta	Active transportation means using human-powered transportation. This WellSpring article offers a variety of tipes and insights to you and your community work towards your active transportation goals.
	Keywords: active transportation

Alberta Walkability Roadshow: Getting Albertans Physically Active
Alberta Centre for Active Living
PDF file, 4 pages Published: Oct 2012 GeoOrigin: Alberta	This WellSpring article discusses how Alberta Health Services promoted walkability and walking in five Alberta communities, through a one-year project called the Alberta Walkability Roadshow.
	Keywords: walkable communities

Community Walking Project: Challenges, Lessons and Successes
Alberta Centre for Active Living
PDF file, 4 pages Published: Dec 2010 GeoOrigin: Alberta	This WellSpring article provides background information about the Alberta Centre for Active Living’s Community Walking Project (CWP) in Edmonton and outlines some of the project’s challenges and successes, and lessons learned. The aim of the CWP is to promote walking as an accessible and easy way for people to be more physically active and improve their health. In particular, the CWP focuses on diabetes prevention and management, through walking.
	Keywords: walking, programs

Evaluating Chronic Disease Self-management in Northern Saskatchewan
Alberta Centre for Active Living
pdf file, 2 pages Published: Sep 2010	This Research Update article describes an evaluation framework and study that incorporates individual, cultural, and community factors relevant to assessing the effectiveness of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program in northern Saskatchewan communities.
	Keywords: Aboriginals, communities, chronic disease, research

Examining the Prevalence of Today's Chronic Diseases - How Did We Get Here?
Alberta Centre for Active Living
pdf file, 2 pages Published: Mar 2010 GeoOrigin: Alberta	This Research Update article explores the root causes of current health epidemics, such as the rise in obesity, through examining historical trends that have led to an increasingly sedentary society.
	Keywords: communities, obesity, chronic disease, built environment, fitness, urban design, research

Exploring Residents' Perceptions of Neighbourhood Environments
Alberta Centre for Active Living
PDF file, 4 pages Published: Dec 2010 GeoOrigin: Alberta	In 2010, discussion groups were held with Edmonton residents living in various neighbourhoods across the city. The goal was to gain a deeper understanding of how neighbourhoods influence health, from the perspective of residents.
	Keywords: built environment

ParticipACTION: The Comeback Kid
Alberta Centre for Active Living
PDF file, 4 pages Published: Oct 2008 GeoOrigin: Alberta	ParticipACTION is back, and researchers want to know what impact the "new generation" NG-ParticipACTION is having on Canadians. This WellSpring looks at what researchers have found out about the efficacy of the new ParticipACTION media campaign.
	Keywords: media campaigns, research, barriers, adults, children, youth, social marketing

Physical Activity Levels Related to an Urban Bicycle Sharing Program: BIXI Montreal
Alberta Centre for Active Living
pdf file, 2 pages Published: Dec 2010	This Research Update article outlines some of the findings of a Montreal-based research team who are studying North America’s most popular bicycle sharing program: BIXI Montreal. The article reports on research carried out in 2009, which included examination of program participation levels, as well as other mobility and transportation factors.
	Keywords: cycling, active transportation, communities, programs, research

Sitting Less: An Important Ingredient in our Recipe for Health
Alberta Centre for Active Living
PDF file, 2 pages Published: Apr 2009 GeoOrigin: Alberta	This Research Update article examines research from Australia that suggests we may be sitting our way to poor health. The research shows that prolonged sitting time is a significant health risk independent of too little exercise.
	Keywords: communities, urban design, work stations, accelerometers, research

Summary Report: Built Environment, Health and Obesity
Alberta Centre for Active Living
PDF file, 8 pages Published: Dec 2010 GeoOrigin: Alberta	This report summarizes key findings from research conducted through the Built Environment Edmonton Project (BEEP). The goal of this project was to explore the relationship between the neighbourhood environment, physical activity, food choice and obesity.
	Keywords: built environment, obesity, healthy eating

The PANDA Project: Helping People with Diabetes Lead Healthier Lives
Alberta Centre for Active Living
PDF file, 1 page Published: Jun 2008 GeoOrigin: Alberta	This article discusses the PANDA Project: community-based research to help people with diabetes live healthy lifestyles. Plans include developing an Albertan dietary plan and creating tools to promote participation in physical activity.
	Keywords: diabetes, pedometers, healthy eating

Using the Stages of Change Model to Increase the Adoption of Physical Activity among community participants
Alberta Centre for Active Living
html file, 2 pages Published: Mar 1993 GeoOrigin: Alberta	Adults in the contemplation, preparation, and action stages participated in a six-week program involving written materials (geared to each stage), information on community resources, and weekly fun walks and activity nights. This Research Update article summarizes the American Journal of Health Promotion article on this study.
	Keywords: behaviour change, stages of change

Using Urban Design to Improve Children's Health - The Smart Cities, Healthy Kids Study
Alberta Centre for Active Living
PDF file, 2 pages Published: Sep 2011 GeoOrigin: Alberta	This Research Update article discusses a study that examines the potential for active living in all 60 of Saskatoon’s residential neighbourhoods, as well as how active school-age children are in each of these neighbourhoods. The objective is to determine the links between how urban built environments are developed and how they encourage or discourage children to be active.
	Keywords: urban design, children, communities

2000 Alberta Recreation Survey: Questionnaire
Government of Alberta
16 pages Published: 2000 GeoOrigin: Alberta	In Spring 2000, 2,719 Alberta households responded to 17 questions about recreational activities they took part in over the past 12 months. The questionnaire itself is 16 pages (17 questions in total) printed in small, booklet format. A hard copy is also available in the Centre library: Centre Publications, ID #711
	Keywords: recreation

A Gap Analysis of Best Practices for Community-Based Interventions Related to Chronic Disease Prevention and Control

50 pages Published: 2005 GeoOrigin: Ontario	This analysis is a preliminary step toward developing a systematic approach to facilitate knowledge exchange among researchers, policy makers and practitioners about best practices. ThA link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Health/Well-being--Chronic Disease Prevention [file cabinet], ID #1205
	Keywords: chronic disease prevention, best practices

Active Living Tool Kit: Guidelines, Ideas, Samples and Examples, Success Stories, Resources and Sources for Building Active Living in Organizations and Communities

152 pages Published: 1992 GeoOrigin: Ontario	Produced by the Secretariat of Focus on Active Living '92 - a national project to support the introduction of Active Living involving a partnership of federal, provincial and territorial governments, voluntary organizations, and members of the private sector. A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Physical Activity--General, ID #709

Community Health and the Built Environment
PLACE research lab
Published: 2011 GeoOrigin: Alberta	This is the website for the Community Health and the Built Environment project. The project was based in Alberta and helped researchers and community partners understand how people’s decisions to make healthy choices are partly shaped by features in the community where they live. You can learn about the findings of the project and the four Alberta communities that were involved: Bonnyville, North Central Edmonton, Medicine Hat/Redcliff and St. Paul.
	Keywords: built environment, community

Edmonton's Urban Parks Management Plan: 2006-2016
City of Edmonton
115 pages Published: 2006 GeoOrigin: Alberta	The City of Edmonton's Urban Parks Management Plan: 2006-2016 (UPMP) provides strategic direction for the acquisition, design, construction, maintenance, preservation and animation (or use) of parks. the Plan spans ten years and provides direction for community planning. This resource is available in the Centre library: Recreation/Leisure--Reports, ID #1173
	Keywords: built environment, policies, recreation

Evidence-Based Strategies for Increasing Participation in Physical Activity in Community Recreation, Fitness and Sport

31 pages Published: 2000 GeoOrigin: Ontario	The main purpose of this paper is to provide evidence-based guidance for leaders and people who are developing resources and training programs for leaders in community recreation, fitness and sport. This resource is also available in the Centre library: Physical Activity--Community Interventions [file cabinet], ID #897

Facility Master Plan: Leisure and Recreation Trends Analysis

84 pages Published: 2002 GeoOrigin: Alberta	This document projects the demographics of Edmonton into the years 2015 and 2025 and discusses the implications of demographic change in light of trends in leisure participation, citizen expectations, recreations as a promoter of community and individual health. A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Recreation/Leisure--Facility Planning and Design [file cabinet], ID #809

Five Pilot Sites Demonstrate What Works

54 pages Published: 1995 GeoOrigin: Ontario	Stories about the experiences of communities in the Active Living in Communities pilot project and key findings from the evaluation of the project. Series Title - Active Living Communities. A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Community Development [file cabinet], ID #165

Healthy Alberta Communities
Healthy Alberta Communities
Published: 2009 GeoOrigin: Alberta	The Healthy Alberta Communities project, affiliated with the Centre for Health Promotion Studies with the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta, was a community driven initiative aimed to reduce risk factors for development of chronic diseases. The goal of this project was to make healthy choices easy in the day-to-day lives of people living in the four communities. This website houses the reports and tools that came out of this project.
	Keywords: communities, population health

Highlights for Decision Makers: Active Living in Communities Pilot Project

20 pages Published: 1995 GeoOrigin: Ontario	This resource summarizes the key learnings of the pilot project, the benefits of active living for the participating communities and their provincial and national partners, and the processes involved in sustaining an active living community. Series Title - Active Living Communities. A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Community Development [file cabinet], ID #126

Increasing Physical Activity: A Report on Recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

16 pages Published: 2001 GeoOrigin: International	Series Title - Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) October 26, 2001, Vol. 50, No. RR-18 A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Physical Activity--Research [file cabinet], ID #708

Lessons Learned: Promoting Physical Activity At the Community Level

38 pages Published: 2005 GeoOrigin: International	This Grants Results Special Report examines 25 projects funded by RWJF to promote walking, biking and other activities and offers 12 lessons learned. A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Physical Activity--Community Interventions, ID #1103

Measuring Social Capital: A Guide for First Nations Communities
Canadian Institute for Health Information
17 pages Published: 2003 GeoOrigin: National	This document explains the concept of social capital; describes the framework developed, introduces the tool to measure social capital, explains how to use it, and discusses what First Nations may gain from research on social capital. This resource is also available in the Centre library: Population Groups--Aboriginals [file cabinet], ID #899

New Data for a New Era: A Summary of the SMARTRAQ Findings

55 pages Published: 2007 GeoOrigin: British Columbia	This summary report describes how growth and development choices and decisions impact our quality of life and our ability to create and maintain a sustainable region. A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Health/Well-being--Built Environment [file cabinet], ID #1256
	Keywords: built environment, reports, obesity/overweight, urban design

Pedestrian and Bicyclist Standards and Innovations in Large Central Cities

44 pages Published: 2006 GeoOrigin: International	This report is the culmination of a year-long effort aimed at reviewing pedestrian and bicyclist standards and innovations in large central cities... (The) study involved a literature review and analysis of the challenges facing large central cities. This resource is also available in the Centre library: Physical Activity--Policies ID #1143

Pediatric Overweight: A Review of the Literature

127 pages Published: 2001 GeoOrigin: International	This report on childhood weight issues seeks to review the literature on the prevalence of overweight, risk and protective factors for overweight in children, interventions that have been shown to be effective in children in schools and community-based settings. A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Population Groups--Children/Youth [file cabinet], ID #854

Physical Activity in the Workplace: Literature Review, Environmental Scan and Workshop

28 pages Published: 2006 GeoOrigin: Alberta	An overview of current peer-reviewed and grey literature on workplace physical activity the literature review specifically focused on workplace physical activity interventions at the individual level. This resource is also available in the Centre library: Workplace -- Surveys [file cabinet], ID #1132

Report on Public Health and Urban Sprawl in Ontario: A Report of the Pertinent Literature
Ontario College of Family Physicians
pdf file, 53 pages Published: Jan 2005 GeoOrigin: Ontario	The impact of the built environment on health is an emerging field of study. This report discusses how the low walkability of sprawling neighbourhoods and the resulting increase in car use contribute to the growing obesity epidemic, especially in children.
	Keywords: children, urban design, childhood obesity, obesity, research

Report on the Formative Evaluation: Active Living in Communities Pilot Project: Learning by Doing in Five Sites

88 pages Published: 1996 GeoOrigin: Ontario	Describes the evaluation process and key findings of the Active Living in Communities pilot project, a 1991 project that was designed to help leaders and communities learn more about advancing active living within Canadian municipalities. Series Title - Active Living Communities A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Community Development [file cabinet], ID #22

Summary of Community Focus Group Input Process

50 pages Published: 1997 GeoOrigin: Alberta	These are the results of 18 community focus group meetings held throughout Alberta between March and April 1997. Purpose of the focus groups was to establish tangible action steps required to support and promote active living in Alberta communities. A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Physical Activity--Reports [file cabinet], ID #288

Taking the Pulse of Active Transportation: Measuring the Built Environment for Healthy Communities

27 pages Published: 2005 GeoOrigin: Nova Scotia	This is research that focuses on the elements of the built environment that most strongly influence the decision to walk or bicycle for transportation purpose. A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Health/Well-being--Built Environment [file cabinet], ID #1252
	Keywords: built environment, walking, cycling, research, active transportation

Urban Parks Master Plan: Leisure and Recreation Trends Analysis

81 pages Published: 2002 GeoOrigin: Alberta	This document projects the demographics of Edmonton into the years 2015 and 2025 and discusses the implications of demographic change in light of trends in leisure participation, citizen expectations and recreations as a promoter of community and individual health. A link to this resource is unavailable. A hard copy is available in the Centre library: Community Development, ID #808