Recreation leaders elected at meeting
NWTRPA annual general meeting brings old and new faces as board representatives
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, October 15, 2015
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Workshops, awards and elections brought recreation staff from across the territory to Fort Simpson for the annual NWT Recreation and Parks Association (NWTRPA) conference.
At the NWTRPA awards dinner, award winners mingled with local leaders and association staff. From left, Iris Hamlyn, Kassandra Spencer, Shane Thompson, Megan Chafe, Stephane Sevigny, Liidlii Kue Chief Jerry Antoine, Cynthia White, Corey O'Farrell and NWTRPA president Tim Van Dam gathered for a photo. Hamlyn, Spencer, Thompson, Chafe, White and O'Farrell all received awards, along with Ulukhaktok youth Jacob Klengenberg, not pictured. - April Hudson/NNSL photo
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The conference ran from Oct. 6 to 8, with an annual general meeting taking place Oct. 7 at noon.
During the annual general meeting, association members elected their president on a one-year term and three regional directors for two-year terms.
President Tim Van Dam was re-elected. Board of Directors elections saw Deh Cho director Nathan McPherson acclaimed, while Jill Gilday won for Yellowknife and Mike Scott won for the Beaufort Delta.
Van Dam said he feels the association, in the first year of its strategic plan, has made a successful effort this year to get out to communities and provide programming.
In total, the association hosted 53 training events in 17 communities, and has trained 500 people in its programming over the past five years.
"We had a very strong year. These things don't happen without the support of our funders, funding agencies and staff," he said.
The association has revenues of just under $1.18 million this year, with expenses of $1.1 million. According to audited financial statements, excess revenue hit above $62,000.
More than $400,000 was paid out in the past year to wages and benefits, the single largest expense for the NWTRPA. The association claimed $178,000 in travel expenditures and $145,000 for conferences and workshops, among other expenses.
Award of merit for local man
Fort Simpson's Shane Thompson, the regional recreation and development co-ordinator with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, received the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association Award of Merit.
This was the first year that award, which can go out to individuals, organizations or corporations, has come to the Northwest Territories.
Thompson is a HIGH FIVE program trainer who works in healthy childhood development and child mental health, and the associationcredited him with being the driving force behind the Mackenzie Youth Conference. HIGH FIVE is an organization that promotes physical literacy
Additionally, Thompson helped to get the territory's playground safety program offered in smaller communities.
"Small communities are important, and in the North, we're all small," Thompson said. "That's why we have to stress these things for our people."
The Scott McAdam Youth Leadership Award went to Ulukhaktok's Jacob Klengenberg, who wasn't present for the ceremony.
The Innovation Award went to Yellowknife's Stephane Sevigny, and Fort Smith's Cynthia White received the Award of Excellence this year.
Yellowknife's SideDoor Youth Centre, which partnered with the association for the conference, received the Youth Centre Award.
