Active Transportation 101 Workshop Series Report Submitted March 14, 2013 by the Ecology Action Centre Active Transportation 101 and its associated workshops were developed and offered through a partnership between the Ecology Action Centre and the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness. Summary In Fall 2012 and Winter 2013, workshops were offered across the province to municipalities and communities based on the new resource Active Transportation 101: Bringing AT to Your Community and Developing an AT Plan (AT 101). The 1.5 to 3.5 hour workshops were meant to help increase knowledge about active transportation (AT) and increase the capacity of municipalities and communities to plan for and implement AT on the ground. A total of 13 workshops were held involving 203 participants from 35 municipal units. Workshop Goals and Objectives For all except for Yarmouth and Colchester, the workshops had similar goals and objectives as follows. Goal: To build support for and understanding about active transportation and show what’s possible Objectives: Increase participants’ knowledge of: o AT and its benefits o AT assets in their area o AT possibilities Inspire participants to support AT efforts locally Two workshops were unique: The Yarmouth workshop was a strategic planning session meant to help clarify the Yarmouth County AT Committee’s vision, goals and activities. The Colchester workshop was also a strategic planning session mean to help stakeholders plan out an approach to the active transportation social marketing project for which they recently received funding. 1 Workshop Series Overview There were 13 workshops held involving 203 participants from over 35 municipal units. An average of 15 people attended each workshop. Workshop/Host # of # of Municipal Units Next Steps Participants Municipal Represented Units Highland Region 25 8 Municipality of Those municipalities that didn’t (Antigonish, the District of already have an AT Committee, Pictou, Guysborough, discussed creating them. They Guysborough): Pictou County, planned to hold two workshops Sept. 27 from Municipality of St. targeted toward elected officials 1:30 to 4:30, Mary's, Town of to educate them on and buy-in for Antigonish Mulgrave, Town active transportation: the of Pictou, Town of Antigonish / Guysborough New Glasgow, workshop took place on Antigonish November 27 (at which AT 101 County, Town of was presented to 25 elected Antigonish officials and staff); the Pictou workshop has yet to be scheduled. Town and 20 3 Municipality of Form an AT committee. They also Municipality of Clare, Digby discussed the need to create an Digby: Oct. 30 County, Town of AT vision for the area. from 2 to 4 pm, Digby Digby West Hants, 30 3 West Hants, Form an AT committee including Hantsport and Windsor, all three municipal units. They are Windsor: Nov. 7 Hantsport considering making an application from 6:30 to 9:30, to the Nova Scotia Moves funding Windsor grant. Inverness County: 10 1 Municipality of Form an AT committee. Nov. 14 from 6 to the County of 8 pm, Cheticamp Inverness Victoria County: 5 2 Victoria County, Form an AT committee. Nov. 15 from 6 to Baddeck 8 pm, Baddeck Kentville: Nov. 21 7 1 Town of Kentville Form an AT committee. from 6 to 9 pm Will review the trail system and coordinate having people trained for Trail Patrol and look into signage for the downtown area. There will be a rail trail workshop in Kentville on April 17. 2 Workshop/Host # of # of Municipal Units Next Steps Participants Municipal Represented Units Barrington and 8 2 Municipality of Form an AT committee. The Clark's Harbour: the District of Physical Activity Coordinator plans Nov. 22 from 6:30 Barrington and to meet with Public Health to to 8:30, the Town of work on an NS Moves grant for Barrington Clark's Harbour funding to do a project similar to Chester's Recreation Map & Guide. Town and 11 3 Municipality of Form an AT committee. Since the Municipality of the District of workshops, it was decided that an Shelburne: Nov. Shelburne, Town AT Working Group will be formed 26 from 6:30 to 8 of Shelburne, to do work on a project by project pm, Shelburne Town of basis. This group will meet in the Lockeport New Year to get things going. Port Hawkesbury: 20 1 Town of Port Form an AT committee with the Nov. 28 from 6 to Hawkesbury first meeting held on January 15. 8 pm Yarmouth County 9 3 Town of This workshop was the beginning Active Yarmouth, of a process for the YCAT to clarify Transportation Municipality of its purpose and how it works as a Committee: Dec. Yarmouth, committee. Future committee 11 (special Municipality of meetings will involve fleshing out tailored strategy Argyle the ideas discussed during the session) workshop and organizing a meeting for councillors and staff of the three municipal units. The spring UNSM Conference is a possible opportunity to highlight AT in Yarmouth County. Cumberland 18 4 Cumberland Form an AT committee. County: Dec. 12 County, Town of from 1:30 to 4:30 Parrsboro, Town pm, Amherst of Oxford, the Town of Springhill Clare: Jan. 16 25 1 Municpality of Form an AT committee. from 10 am to 2 Clare pm, Little Brook Colchester: Feb. 15 3 Town of Truro, This workshop was a planning 12, 9 to 12 pm, Municipality of session for the AT social Truro Colchester, Village marketing project (taking MoveOn of Bible Hill Colchester to the next level). Interest from other areas included: HRM: St. Margaret’s Bay, Mainland North ( Clayton Park), Porter’s Lake 3 Kings County Queens County First Nations (Eskasoni hosting several communities) CBRM Workshop Participants Municipal representatives included: Other Organizations/Individuals Represented: MPALs/Physical Activity Coordinators Citizens/residents Physcial Activity Strategy Committee members Public Health Culture & Leisure Services Coordinator Community Health Board Recreation Directors School Boards Councillors High School Wardens School Parent-Teacher groups Deputy Warden Physical Activity/Health Committees COA Nova Scotia Department of Health and Deputy CAO Wellness Planners Nova Scotia Dept. of Transportation and Directors of Planning Infrastructure Renewal (attended 1 workshop) Director of Planning & Development AT Committees Director of Public Works Cyclists Eastern District Planning Commission Velo Cape Breton Director of Policy and Research Bike shop owners Superintendant of Public Works Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada General Manager Facilities and Operations YMCA Municipal Program Supervisor Community Rep/Early Childhood Intervention Director of Finance Women`s Centre Director of Environmental, Safety and RCMP Community Affairs Local newspaper Renewable Energy & Climate Change Youth skate boarding group Community & Economic Development Cobequid Trails Consulting Aquatics Director Trails Committee Sno Dusters (Snowmobile group) Trails groups (Greenways NS) Business representatives Regional Development Authorities Environmental Group (Avondale Peninsula Watershed Preservation Society) 4 Workshop Process Local Organizer Janet Barlow, of the Ecology Action Centre (EAC), worked collaboratively with local organizers to draft an agenda and plan the promotion and logistics of the workshop. In some cases, this involved working with one individual, in other cases it involved working with several people or a committee to organize the event. EAC’s role was to provide: Workshop presentation and facilitation (can have workshop hosts help facilitate too if you like) Workshop materials Workshop promotional materials (poster, invitation, email/web write ups) The workshop host role was to provide: Workshop logistics such as booking the venue, providing food/beverages Workshop promotion: distribution of posters, invitations, email and web write ups, etc.) and registration of participants Promotion Promotion of the event locally was conducted by the local organizer with input from EAC on who to invite. It was suggested to local organizers to invite: municipal representatives: councillors and staff (including planning, recreation, police and others); businesses; RCMP; residents; cycling groups; walking and running groups; AT committee members; NSTIR and DHW local rep; trails groups; local doctors; principal or rep from school SAC; community health board; public health; and more. EAC provided media write ups including an invitation and various promotional pieces to with local media and social media. The Cumberland County invitation is attached and the Promotional Pieces document for Port Hawkesbury are included as examples. Some workshops were by invite only (such as Antigonish, Cumberland County, Yarmouth and Colchester). The remaining workshops were promoted to the public. Workshop Delivery Here is a sample agenda from the Cumberland County AT workshop in Amherst on December 12. Agendas and lengths of workshops varied from community, based on their need and readiness. 1:30: Introduction 1:40: Overview of AT (presentation) 2:10: Where We’re AT! (discussion) 2:40: Break 2:55: Where Could We Go with AT? (discussion) 3:25: Engaging Municipal Officials (presentation and discussion) 4:00: Forming an AT Committee (presentation and discussion) 4:15: Wrap Up (including evaluation) 5 4:30: Workshop ends In two cases –Digby and Clare – a walkabout outside was included to experience and discuss infrastructure and other aspects of local roads. Discussions were recorded on flipcharts for each workshop. The highlights of discussions are summarized below in the Feedback: Where Could We Go With AT section as well as in the Feedback: Further AT Supports Needed section. A prize draw for the “Planning and Design for Pedestrians and Cyclists” book from Velo Quebec was offered at the end of each workshop as an incentive to complete evaluation forms. In some cases the workshop host offered additional prizes. Evaluation Participants were asked to complete an evaluation form at the end of each workshop to provide feedback on the workshop content and quality. This is summarized in the Evaluation section below. Feedback as also collected on what further AT supports were needed to help communities move AT forward. This is summarized in the Feedback: Further AT Supports Needed section below.