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Blackfalds lands provincial award for Abbey Centre

The Town of Blackfalds is the recipient of the 2014 Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA) A.V. Pettigrew Award.
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RECOGNIZED – Blackfalds Mayor Melodie Stol poses with dignitaries from the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association after receiving this year’s A.V. Pettigrew Award on behalf of the Town of Blackfalds. From left are Vice-President Internal Heather Cowie

The Town of Blackfalds is the recipient of the 2014 Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA) A.V. Pettigrew Award. This award recognizes communities in Alberta that have contributed the most to improving the quality of life of their citizens through recreation and parks – in areas of programs, services, facilities, parks and open spaces or a combination thereof.

The award winning Abbey Centre, which opened on March 31st, has changed the quality of life for not only Blackfalds residents, but for all who enter its doors, officials said.

ARPA commended the Town and the Blackfalds Field House Society for ensuring that the Abbey Centre design included options for safety, affordability and accessibility.

It was also noted the Abbey Centre now provides a gathering space for community to meet and engage in a healthier lifestyle and has also created employment for both youth and adults in the Town.

At the Oct. 25th awards banquet, newly elected ARPA President Mike Roma expressed his pleasure in honouring the Town of Blackfalds stating, “Recreation and parks are essential to our health and happiness and to the development of vibrant communities and sustainable environments. It is imperative that we recognize those whose passionate hard work promotes wellbeing through recreation and parks.”

Town of Blackfalds Director of Community Services Sean Barnes commented, “It is especially significant as this is the second time that Blackfalds has been the recipient of this prestigious award (the first being in 2009) and this places the community in the ranks of only a couple other municipalities that have been recognized more than once since the inception of the award in 1973.”

- Vossen