News
Congratulations Gord!
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Congratulations to Gord Tate!
We’re thrilled to celebrate Gord Tate, of the Municipality of Chester, as the new President of the Canadian Parks & Recreation Association (CPRA).
Gord was officially elected at the CPRA AGM in Saskatoon this week, ahead of the Canadian Inclusive Green Spaces Symposium, succeeding Howie Dayton as the Chair of the national organization for recreation and parks.
We’re proud to see Nova Scotia represented so well on the national stage. We wish Gord all the best as he leads CPRA in advancing recreation and parks for all Canadians!
Gord spent his early career working in recreation in Northern BC and Halifax. He owned a kayak outfitting company before relocating to the Municipality of Chester, where he has served as the Active Living Coordinator for the past fifteen years. In this position, Gord has sought to inspire and activate citizens, and create a culture of physical activity that is supported by the built environment and policy changes necessary to sustain the change. He’s recently transitioned to the position of Recreation Facility and Open Space Lead, where, on behalf of the municipality, he’ll help shape the next generation of recreation opportunities.
Gord is a highly respected leader in the recreation sector with a demonstrated commitment to advancing and supporting efforts to enhance the field. His work at the municipal level with the Municipality of Chester has exemplified innovation and collaboration while demonstrating alignment with and focus on emerging issues in the parks and recreation sector, such as equity and anti-racism, climate resilience, and workforce development.
In addition to being a former President of Recreation Nova Scotia, Gord has served on the Board of CPRA since 2019 and has chaired the Finance and Risk Management Committee for the past two years.
Nova Scotia Celebrates 2025 International Day of Play with Province-wide Events & Resources
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Play is a right, not a privilege! On June 11, 2025, Nova Scotia is coming together for the International Day of Play(IDoP)—a celebration of movement, creativity, and connection. Whether you're in Halifax or a small community, there are free events, tools, and resources to help you bring the power of play to life.
The IDOP celebrates and raises awareness of the right to play, as enshrined in Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the most widely ratified human rights treaty.
From June 2-11, find key events happening in downtown Halifax and across Nova Scotia in celebration of this day and its theme, "Choose Play - Every Day."
For more information and resources visit the International Day of Play page and read the pdf official media release.(227 KB)
Recreation's Response: Building Climate Resilience Together
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Extreme weather, changing seasons, closed spaces - climate change is already reshaping how, where, and if we recreate.
After exploring this topic at the 2024 RNS Conference, Recreation Nova Scotia is committed to continuing the conversation around climate change and its impact on recreation. We aim to create spaces for individuals and organizations throughout the province to come together, share experiences, and collaborate on solutions for adapting recreation to the evolving environmental landscape.
As a result of these collaborative discussions, we intend to build a Framework for Community Networking, Capacity Building, and Information Sharing related to Climate Change Impact, Adaptation and Resilience.
Let’s discuss what we’re seeing, share what’s working, and build a resilient future together. By filling out a brief survey, you will help shape future discussions and guide the direction of this project.
The link to the survey can be found here.
EDIA Highlights: North Nova Highlanders Equipment Loan Program
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"The more barriers we can eliminate for underrepresented communities, the more joy we can spread."
Glenna Ingraham is the head coach of the North Nova Highlanders, a female baseball program for girls ages 5-18 in the Highland Region. The North Nova Highlanders provide opportunities to play baseball recreationally and competitively within the Bluenose League of Baseball Nova Scotia. Glenna has been coaching baseball for over 20 years but says her life changed when she started coaching the girls' program six years ago. During that time, she was named Baseball Nova Scotia's Coach of the Year, received the Determination Award and was selected for the Sport Make a Difference Award last year for her work growing female baseball across Nova Scotia.
One way in which Glenna has helped to grow female baseball in the Highland Region has been through her very successful equipment loan program. The organization received an equity, diversity and inclusion grant from Sport Nova Scotia to build an equipment loan program which included bats, helmets, gloves and cleats. The equipment is available to program participants free of charge. Users sign out what they need and keep it for as long as they need.
Glenna created the program because of the high cost of baseball equipment. The goal was to make the North Nova Highlanders program more accessible to families. "Many families struggle to pay registration fees and purchase new equipment, and sometimes girls are unsure if they will like a sport. Removing one barrier allows girls to try the sport. If they don't enjoy it, the parents haven't paid for equipment that will sit in a closet unused."
Glenna says the program is popular, "Every year, most of the equipment gets loaned out and has always been returned. I have seen our numbers grow significantly and have had positive feedback from parents saying what a help it was." The amount and variety of equipment in the program continue to grow yearly, with families donating personal equipment when they no longer need or use it.
Many parents have shared that they would not have been able to participate in activities through the North Nova Highlanders without the equipment loan program. One parent noted that the program was helpful in the beginning stages of trying the sport, "Being able to borrow equipment until we see whether she likes baseball is great."
Glenna advises organizations considering starting a similar program: "Start small if you have to, but the more barriers we can eliminate for underrepresented communities, the more joy we can spread."
RNS on the 2025 Federal Elections
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Leading up the to the 2025 Federal Election, RNS has written to candidates across Nova Scotia, emphasising the importance of recreation and parks.
Along with out partners at Canadian Parks & Recreation Association (CPRA) at the federal level, we aim to be a voice for the recreation sector and provide leadership to support our members in the recreation sector.
Elections invite us to imagine the kind of country we want to build together—and the legacy we hope to leave to the next generation. Amidst our evolving social and economic landscape, the recreation and parks sector is a powerful yet often overlooked contributor to that vision. Too often seen as a discretionary expense, recreation and parks are, in fact, vital to creating the country in which we want to live, work, and play—driving economic development, improving wellbeing, reducing crime, and strengthening communities. The sector is vital to building healthy, vibrant, and resilient communities, from green spaces, trails, and recreation facilities to the professionals and programs that bring them to life. It promotes mental and physical wellbeing, contributes significantly to our economy by providing high-quality jobs and supporting local businesses. It increasingly plays a vital role in strengthening community resilience during emergencies such as wildfires, hurricanes, or extreme rain and flooding.
Canada cannot afford to overlook this vital sector any longer, and here is how we suggest fixing it.
- Federal plan for recreation and parks infrastructure
- Recreation as a smart economic choice
- A commitment to stronger, healthier communities (such as youth employment programs to develop leaders of the future).
Recreation and parks touch the lives of everyone in Nova Scotia—whether through a walk on a local trail, a visit to a neighbourhood park, or time spent in a community pool, arena, or recreation centre.
We urged candidates to commit to policies and programs that recognize recreation and parks as vital services and infrastructure, integral to the wellbeing and resilience of our communities.
Here's what we heard...
(last updated: Monday 28th April)
NDP: Ingrid Deon (Acadie Annapolis)
The NDP recognizes that access to quality recreation spaces contributions to both physical and mental wellbeing. NDP strongly believes in investing in services that improve quality of life and support community wellbeing. Interested in learning more about how federal support for recreation and parks could complement our commitments to strengthen public healthcare, improve working conditions for healthcare professionals and ensure better care for our elders.
Liberal: Jaime Battiste (Cape Breton-Canso-Antigonish)
Jaime and the Liberal Party of Canada have made announcements for parks for review:
Protecting Canada's Nature, Biodiversity and Water here
New Canada Strong Pass here.
Thanks to the below candidates for their response and willingness to discuss further:
Shannon Miedema (Liberal - Halifax)
Allan MacMaster (Conservative - Cape Breton-Canso-Antigonish)
Sean Fraser (Liberal - Central Nova)
Joel Hirtle (Conservative - Kings-Hants)
We look forward to working with all levels of government to help realize the potential of recreation and parks for communities across Nova Scotia.
Contribute to the Renewal of the Framework for Recreation in Canada
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The Framework for Recreation in Canada is being renewed, and we need your expertise! As a parks and recreation professional, your perspective is invaluable in shaping the future of recreation across the country. The renewed Framework will guide the sector in addressing key issues such as climate resilience, inclusivity, workforce development, and more.
This is your chance to ensure the Framework reflects the needs and challenges you face in your community. Participate in one of the upcoming virtual or in-person consultations, or share your thoughts via a survey. Together, we can create a framework that will strengthen the recreation and parks sector for generations to come.
To help shape the renewed Framework, there are two survey options:
- A short version (10 min) for quick input: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NPY7TJ7
- A long version (30 min) for deeper engagement: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/7RFGRQK
As a token of appreciation, all survey participants who complete the survey will be entered into a draw to win one of two $100 Canadian Tire gift cards. The survey is open until May 19, 2025.
Learn more about the Framework here: https://www.cpra.ca/framework