North Grenville Declared Canada’s Most Active Community
NORTH GRENVILLE, ON – Earlier today, ParticipACTION announced that the Municipality of North Grenville has been crowned Canada’s most active community as part of the 2021 Community Better Challenge.
“We are absolutely thrilled and honoured that North Grenville has been selected as Canada’s most active community, having logged a whopping 9.9 million minutes in June,” said Mayor Nancy Peckford.
“This initiative was built from the ground up with the leadership of our Health, Wellness and Fitness Committee, it showcased our incredible spirit and brought our community together. We were each other’s greatest champions, as we worked collectively towards a common goal. We are so proud of our community and everyone’s efforts,” added Mayor Peckford.
The Community Better Challenge encouraged all ages and abilities to get active for the month of June. Participants were encouraged to track their minutes on the Participaction App or website. All physical activity minutes counted – whether it was a virtual fitness class, chair yoga, walking the dog, or yard work. All individual and group fitness counted.
“The Challenge provided an opportunity to bring us together. Despite the COVID pandemic, we found creative ways to connect with each other, try new activities and encourage participation,” added Deputy Mayor Jim McManaman.
“Most importantly, we saw it as a way to collectively have some socially-distanced fun,” emphasized Deputy Mayor Jim McManaman.
According to the ParticipACTION Community Impact Report, North Grenville tracked over 9.9 million minutes during the month of June. Over 2,000 residents participated along with more than 20 organizations who helped get people moving, including all six elementary schools, daycares, fitness studios, and community organizations such as Seniors’ Community Services and Community Living North Grenville.
Initiated by the North Grenville Health, Fitness and Wellness Advisory Committee, the Municipality registered in the ParticipACTION’s Community Better Challenge and encouraged residents to get active for the month of June.
The Municipality of North Grenville ranked number one for the vast majority of the Challenge during the month of June.
“North Grenville maintained its number 1 spot throughout June because of our small-town passion and community connections,” highlighted Tanya Deans, Vice-Chair of the Health, Fitness and Wellness Advisory Committee.
Being named Canada’s most active community also means North Grenville earned the top prize of $100,000.
“This significant prize money will be used to establish more outdoor recreational opportunities in the community. Options include but are not limited to an outdoor basketball court, a BMX pump track, and/or outdoor exercise equipment for all ages, as well as badly needed improvements to parks North Grenville’s rural hamlets,” said Mayor Nancy Peckford.
“We look forward to getting input on how best to invest in the prize money,” added Mayor Peckford.
“Council would like to thank members of the Advisory Committee who led the charge, and all individuals, groups, institutions and businesses who stepped up to help us reach this incredible goal,” added Mayor Peckford.
The ParticipACTION Community Better Challenge is an annual event that gets Canadians across the country moving together.
For more information on the challenge visit: www.participaction.com/en-ca/programs/community-challenge.
Read the Participaction Media Release HERE.
Media Stories 2021
July 27 - CTV News at 6 (video) - Canada's Most Active Community
July 27 - CTV NEWS - North Grenville crowned Canada’s most active community
July 27 - CTV Live at Noon - North Grenville Gets Active
July 27 - Ottawa Citizen - North Grenville named Canada's most active community in ParticipACTION challenge
July 27 - Brockville Recorder - North Grenville residents on the move
July 27 - RadioCanada (8h37) - North Grenville remporte le concours ParticipACTION
July 26 - Kemptville Advance - North Grenville crowned Canada’s Most Active Community
June 18 - CTV News at 6 (video) - Fitness Challenge in North Grenville
June 18 - CTV Ottawa - North Grenville leading Participaction's Community Better Challenge
June 13 - CBC Fresh Air - North Grenville Aims to be Most Active Community
North Grenville is set to compete for Canada’s Most Active Community
April 23, 2021
NORTH GRENVILLE, ON - The Municipality of North Grenville is set to compete for Canada’s Most Active Community.
Initiated by the North Grenville Health, Fitness and Wellness Advisory Committee, the Municipality has registered in the ParticipACTION’s Community Better Challenge and is encouraging residents to get out and get active for the month of June.
In these COVID times, remaining physically active and getting outside is one of the best things you can do for your physical and mental well-being.
“This Challenge is a great way to get the community moving and bring us together (while staying safely apart) after a very long year,” said Mayor Nancy Peckford. “And, as a bonus, we also have an opportunity to compete for the top prize of $100,000 and the title of being Canada’s most active community.”
The challenge is open to everyone, whether you are 8 or 80, of any age or ability. Individuals, organizations, schools, sport groups and even workplaces can all participate and track their minutes (virtually). All individual and group physical activity counts.
“We know exercise and activity – whether its indoors or outdoors - is so important for our physical and mental health. Now, more than ever, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic, we see this friendly competition as a fun and safe way for North Grenville residents to participate in a collective community goal,” added Tanya Deans, Acting Chair of the Municipal Advisory Committee on Health, Wellness and Fitness.
By being active and logging your activities between June 1 – 30, 2021, North Grenville residents could help the community earn the title and win. Prize money would be used to improve municipal parks throughout North Grenville.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
To participate, residents can download the free ParticipACTION app where they can track their physical activity minutes and contribute to their community’s total minutes during the challenge period (June 1 – 30, 2021).
Active minutes can also be tracked on the ParticipACTION website (beginning June 1, 2021).
Active minutes can include activities such as:
- a ten-minute walk;
- a 30-minute bike ride;
- a virtual group exercise class; or
- even yard and garden work.
Every minute tracked during the month of June goes towards North Grenville’s overall score.
“The Committee is working hard to help you find ways to get active, and we will share daily suggested activities,” said Deputy Mayor Jim McManaman.
“We are also looking to partner with local community groups and businesses for this initiative. We know some of them will offer free lessons, classes or workshops to help you try something new,” added Deputy Mayor McManaman.
The ParticipACTION Community Better Challenge is an annual event that gets Canadians across the country moving together. At the end of the 2021 challenge, one community will earn the top prize of $100,000 and title of being Canada’s most active. In addition to the national winner, there will also be prizes for the most active community in each province and territory, as well as individual prizes from ParticipACTION for taking part.
For more information and to download the app visit: www.participaction.com/en-ca/programs/community-challenge.
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For more Information Contact:
Jill Sturdy, Corporate Media Relations Officer
Municipality of North Grenville
613-258-9569 ext. 168
How to Participate
It's easy to Participate in the Community Challenge!
Step 1: Download the App
Download the ParticipACTION app and help North Grenville get crowned Canada's Most Active Community and win the $100,000 grand prize.
By signing up for the app using your NG Postal Code, your individual move minutes will be tracked and counted toward North Grenville's overall score.
Step 2: Sign up for the Community Better Challenge
The ParticipACTION Community Better Challenge is a national physical activity initiative that encourages Canadians to get active in search of Canada's Most Active Community.
It is open to all individuals, organizations and businesses. All minutes tracked on the app and website from June 1 – 30 count toward North Grenville's total score.
Sign up here: https://www.participaction.com/en-ca/programs/community-challenge
Step 3: Track your Activity
Track your minutes using the app or on the website. You can even sync your fitness tracker with the app!
Remember, if you are tracking on behalf of a group, organization or for other family members, make sure you track your minutes on the ParticipACTION website: https://www.participaction.com/en-ca/programs/community-challenge.
Step 4: Get Moving
Every move, step, rep and lap you track counts - so get moving! We are IN IT TO WIN IT!
Help North Grenville get crowned Canada's Most Active.
The Community Better Challenge runs from June 1st - June 30th.
Download the ParticipACTION app or visit the ParticipACTION website and help North Grenville get crowned Canada's Most Active Community, which comes with a $100,000 grand prize.
NG Postal Code
Please note that not all of North Grenville's Postal Codes are affiliating with NG. Please double check that you are connected with the community of North Grenville. You can edit your information and use the Kemptville postal code of K0G 1J0 if it shows you are connected with a community other than North Grenville.
Who can Participate
The ParticipACTION Community Better Challenge is a national physical activity initiative that encourages Canadians to get active in search of Canada's Most Active Community.
It is open to all individuals, organizations and businesses. All minutes tracked on the app and website from June 1 – 30 count toward North Grenville's total score.
We are so pleased that several schools, daycares and gyms have already gotten on board. Amazing! As long as the instructors have registered on the website with ParticpACTION, gym classes, outdoor clubs, recreational activities, and outside play minutes are easy to count!
If you know of a school or daycare that isn’t participating and needs help signing up for a group account, contact .
If you are looking for a participating gym that is offering virtual (or outdoor classes) where they will input your physical activity minutes for you, check out the amazing calendar of events that features local fitness studios, groups and trainers.
Track your Family's Minutes
On the website (Not the App), you can add family members and submit their daily minutes too, especially if they are kids, don’t have a phone or would prefer to not use the app. You can use the app for yourself and the website for family members, so there are definitely options.
What Counts
Every move, step, rep, minute and lap counts - so get moving! We are IN IT TO WIN IT! The point of the challenge is to MOVE in whatever way works for you!
Washing your car, gardening, farm chores, chasing the kids around the yard, housework, walking, biking, golfing, pickleball or traditional exercise. It’s whatever gets you moving.
The Community Better Challenge runs from June 1st - June 30th.
On the website (NOT the App), you can add family members and submit their daily minutes too, especially if they are kids, don’t have a phone or would prefer to not use the app. You can use the app for yourself and the website for family members, so there are definitely options.
Organizational Participation - Sign up on the Participaction Website
If you are an organization you can track group fitness classes as a whole.
Visit the ParticipACTION Website at: https://www.participaction.com/en-ca/programs/community-challenge
1. Sign up as an individual and then click "Track Organizational Minutes"
2. Complete Profile (Enter in your details for the organization, school, etc) – It should automatically affiliate with the community of North Grenville using the K0G 1J0 postal code.
3. Create "New Activity" and add total minutes
Let’s Get Active NG - article by Mayor and Deputy Mayor
The following article was published in the North Grenville Times
Let’s Get Active North Grenville- Because We all Win!
By Deputy Mayor Jim McManaman and Mayor Nancy Peckford
It’s been a long 15 months. The COVID-19 pandemic has been tough on everyone with gyms, organized sports, kids’ playdates, and activities cancelled – affecting individuals of all ages.
When we were elected in 2018, Deputy Mayor and I knew that increasing residents' quality of life and our community's overall well-being was a big priority. With that in mind, North Grenville’s first-ever Health, Fitness and Wellness Advisory Committee was established in 2019. Deputy Mayor Jim McManaman was keen to get this committee going, and as a busy Mayor and mother of 3, I jumped on board to find ways to become more physically active.
The Committee is comprised of a diverse group including fitness leaders, a gym teacher, nurses, public health experts, and more recently, an Emergency Room physician who works at CHEO, as well as an engineer!
Before the pandemic, the Committee was working hard to host North Grenville’s inaugural Health and Wellness Expo, but of course, with the pandemic, those plans were put on ice. As we resumed meetings later in 2020 and 2021 over Zoom (more sitting, more screen time!), several Committee members expressed interest in North Grenville joining the ParticipACTION’s Community Better Challenge for the month of June.
We were thrilled! The Community Better challenge is open to everyone in the month of June, whether you are 8 or 80, of any age or ability - not just those early morning runners (you know who you are!). Individuals, organizations, schools, sports’ groups and even workplaces can all participate and track their minutes.
All individual and group physical activity counts. If you walk around the block or wash your car, you can track your minutes. If you participate in a virtual fitness class through a local gym, your instructor can log those minutes for you (just make sure to confirm). Several local gym teachers will be tracking and logging the minutes of the kids who participate in their gym classes, virtual or in person.
All movement counts: gardening and yard work, walking your dog, washing your car, spring cleaning, chasing the kids around the house. It’s not just traditional exercise.
What really matters is that you keep track of those minutes on a daily basis. This means they have to be logged through the FREE ParticipACTION App that you can download on your phone or through the ParticipACTION website. The app will automatically assign you a community based on your postal code.
While you can sync the App with many of the leading Fitness trackers (like a Fitbit), we strongly recommend you manually enter or verify your minutes on the App to ensure accuracy. BY participating, you can help North Grenville earn the title for Canada’s Most Active Community. As a bonus, the top prize is $100,000 which we would dedicate to improving North Grenville’s local parks!
Within the first two weeks of the Challenge, the most active TWENTY communities will be featured on a Leader Board by ParticpACTION so that they can track their progress vis a vis other communities. That’s why we need residents to embrace the challenge early in June, so we qualify for the Leader Board.
The App also allows you to create your own group (8 people max) so that you can track your progress together. In fact, Council has created our own team – the Mighty Quintet! We plan on challenging each other. Stay tuned for updates!
Overall, ParticipACTION is a fun and inclusive way to motivate yourself, loved ones, friends, neighbours, and co-workers to just get moving. We have spent so many months apart and mostly in our homes. Through ParticpACTION, we can embrace the opportunity to do something together while being safe and investing in our health and well-being!
To Participate:
Step 1: Download the App
Download the ParticipACTION app to track your minutes or sign up on the ParticipACTION website.
By using your NG Postal Code, your individual move minutes will be tracked and counted toward North Grenville's overall score.
Step 2: Sign up for the Community Better Challenge as an individual, organizations and businesses. The more individuals and organizations that participate will help with our overall score.
Step 3: Track your Activity
Track your minutes using the app or on the website. You can even sync your fitness tracker with the app! If you are tracking on behalf of a group, organization or for other family members, make sure you track your minutes on the ParticipACTION website: https://www.participaction.com/en-ca/programs/community-challenge.
Step 4: Get Moving
Every move, step, rep and lap you track counts - so get moving!
Remember – the only thing you need to join the challenge is a North Grenville postal code.
Calendar: The Municipality has created a suggested daily activity in partnership with a variety of businesses and organizations. There are some prizes too! www.northgrenville.ca/GetActive
Facebook: @NGMCevents
Let’s Get ACTIVE NG! We are In It to WIN IT!
Mayor Nancy Peckford and Deputy Mayor Jim McManaman are members of the Health, Fitness and Wellness Advisory Committee
Keep the Momentum Going! - article by Tanya Deans
The following article was published in the North Grenville Times
Keep the Momentum Going!
Submitted by Tanya Deans, Vice Chair of the Health, Fitness and Wellness Advisory Committee
As a resident of North Grenville, a Registered Nurse at Kemptville District Hospital and Vice Chair of the Health Wellness and Fitness Advisory Committee for the Municipality, I am so thankful to be a part of this thriving community. It’s exciting to have the opportunity to play a role in promoting an initiative that promotes active living!
ParticipACTION is a non-profit organization offering a Community Better Challenge – a national physical activity initiative that encourages Canadians to get active for the month of June. North Grenville residents, and participating groups, organizations and schools can participate and track all move minutes – from riding a bike, to family walks, to virtual group exercise classes.
Once participants download the app and enter the Community Better Challenge, all logged minutes within the NG Postal Code will go toward North Grenville’s overall score. You can log your minutes manually on the app, or if you have a fitness tracker it will log them for you. You can also log minutes on the website and add family members (kids, partners) and submit their daily minutes too. The more minutes tracked the greater opportunity North Grenville has to win top prize of $100,000 and be crowed Canada’s most active community!
The Advisory Committee has set a goal to bring awareness of health, wellness and fitness initiatives to North Grenville residents. The pandemic has brought to light the importance of pivoting, adapting and setting new goals. These three actions, as well as others, are vital to staying healthy, well and fit.
For the month of June, I have challenged myself to walk to work every day. I take pictures of local businesses on my way to work, and post them on social media. Thanks to Kemptville District hospital for supporting the promotion of this initiative. Word is out within the hospital, and we are tapping into people’s friendly competitive spirit, challenging various groups to compete against one another.
As I am writing this in the first few days of the challenge, and North Grenville is strong out of the gate sitting at first place provincially! My challenge to everyone is to keep this momentum going! Log your minutes, or find someone who can log your minutes for you! Let’s Go North Grenville!
For more information on the Challenge visit: www.northgrenville.ca/GetActive
Tanya Deans is the Vice Chair of the Health Wellness and Fitness Advisory Committee and a Registered Nurse at the Kemptville District Hospital.
Schools take the lead
North Grenville Students Get Active and Compete for Canada’s most Active Community
Orginally submitted to the North Grenville Times
Although schools will remain closed for the month, local students are still contributing to North Grenville’s quest to be named Canada’s most active community.
Several teachers at schools in the municipality registered to take part in the ParticipACTION Community Better Challenge this month. They saw it as a way to motivate their students and to get them involved in helping the community.
“It is coming at a great time for us, as we are just completing our Kids Run Ottawa Challenge, and we want to keep our students moving!” says Laura Oliver, the principal at Oxford-on-Rideau Elementary School.
The school kicked off its effort in the ParticipACTION challenge by having a whole-school, online workout on June 1st right after its remote morning announcements. The school, located in Oxford Mills, has 70 students. Teachers are planning other events for their classes and some for the whole school to participate in remotely as ways to earn minutes for the municipality.
“It is so important to keep our students active right now, especially to counterbalance the screen time,” says Oliver. “The students at Oxford have been doing a great job of learning synchronously and staying connected, so getting (them) up and moving around is imperative.”
Students at Kemptville Public School are also participating in online workouts led by enthusiastic teachers. Robert Matheson, one of the school’s physical education teachers, runs online workouts for three or four classes a day. He has cleared out a classroom at the school to allow him to lead his students during 40-minute sessions.
“It is awesome to see them working out with me,” Matheson says. “Some of them are having their siblings, parents or grandparents join in our workouts. That’s a great thing to see.”
“This challenge is a great way for families to bond. We know that children are more likely to be active if they see their parents lead an active lifestyle. This is a way for the kids to kind of lead the way.”
Not all of the students at KPS are participating in online classes. Some of them are submitting activity logs to their teachers. The teachers are then logging the minutes into the ParticipACTION website. Active minutes can come from riding a bike through the neighbourhood, playing at the Riverside skate park, walking the dog, or vacuuming the house. It is open to anyone and people can register online or download the app to join in.
Michael Lalonde, a physical education teacher at Académie Catholique Notre-Dame is asking his students to set a weekly goal and try to reach it. He will then log their minutes for them. “The challenge will complement the physical education classes and will add an opportunity for the students to set personal goals throughout the month which will motivate them to be active,” says Lalonde.
There are 200 students at Notre-Dame, which is located on the Kemptville Campus. Lalonde is also hoping to run a virtual day dedicated to promoting an active lifestyle with a variety of different activities throughout the day. He believes there are so many benefits for his students to gain by being active.
“Studies have shown that being active has many benefits - improving mood, self-esteem and concentration are just a few - which can also improve academic performance,” says Lalonde. “It's also my hope that creating an active lifestyle at an early age will give the students the tools to continue living a healthy lifestyle throughout their life.”
Selina Parnell, a physical education teacher at Holy Cross Catholic School, is also using participating in the challenge as a way to motivate her students. She also sees it as an educational tool and a way to build community.
“We know it's important to be active but sometimes that's easier said than done,” says Parnell. “By giving students a tangible goal, something concrete to work towards and get excited about, they may be more motivated to be active each and every day.”
“By participating in ParticipACTION, they may be more likely to go for that walk, bounce on their trampoline, do some yoga, or go play a sport,” she adds. “This event also creates a sense of community at a time when we need exactly that. After 15-plus months of living with COVID restrictions, it's exciting to participate in a community event again.”
There are 474 students at the elementary school located on Clothier St. Normally in June; the school’s teacher would be running a whole-school track and field meet and other kinds of special activity days. The Community Better Challenge offers a different way to get students active even when they cannot be in school together.
“With the pivot to online learning, our students are sitting in front of a screen more than ever,” says Parnell. “Daily movement, exercise, and fresh air have endless benefits for our bodies and minds. By Participating in ParticipACTION, students will be motivated to be more active, and happier and healthier overall.”
The 185 students at École publique Rivière-Rideau are also having their active school-time minutes logged for them. Students are getting credit for minutes spent being active in virtual physical education classes and when they are active for école de la nature (outdoor education class). Teachers are calculating the minutes and submitting them to parent volunteer, Andrew Sparling, to log the time into the website.
“We thought this was a fantastic opportunity to do two things for the kids still stuck at home,” says Sparling, who has two sons at the school. “Give them a focus on participation and our region’s efforts in friendly competition with surrounding communities. As well as allowing them to use the exercise they do in school and see something for their effort.”
Participating in the challenge will look a little different at Madison Montessori. At least there, some of the school’s students can get involved in person. School-aged children are not allowed in the building under the province’s COVID restrictions, but 162 pre-school aged students (aged 1-6) are allowed to attend. A normal day at Madison Montessori involves a lot of physical activity, but current restrictions have meant adjustments were needed.
“This has pushed us to be more creative!” says April Hughes, the school’s director. “We have been doing yoga, obstacle courses, and races and will be hosting a school-wide dance party soon!”
“We think it is important for us to be involved because it allows our children to be cautious about being more active and also doing something that benefits the community!” adds Hughes.
KPS teacher Robert Matheson, who is a member of North Grenville’s Health, Wellness, and Fitness Advisory Committee, has been helping support the other schools’ involvement in the challenge. He has shared ways for them to log minutes and how to host online events.
“I think getting the schools on board with this challenge, gives us (North Grenville) a chance to finish at or near the top of the leaderboard,” Matheson says. “It definitely shows the people at ParticipACTION that the people of this community, including the children, believe in the benefits of being active.”
The Community Better Challenge runs throughout the month of June. There is still time to join in and help North Grenville win. Visit www.northgrenville.ca/GetActive for more information on how to get involved.
