Overview

ACE Communities – Active, Creative and Engaged Communities – is an initiative of the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association designed to get more people, more active, more often.

We know that recreation, parks, arts, culture and heritage significantly improves the well-being of individual Albertans and the development of healthy, vital communities. What hasn’t always been quite as clear is how to ensure these potential benefits are implemented and maximized.

Fortunately, thanks to the Rural Alberta’s Development Fund, EnCana, Cenovous, CanWest Media and other corporate sponsors, a three and a half year project has resulted in ACE Communities being able to invest the time and energy to learn more about how to strengthen community leadership.

It is also important to note that ACE Communities was the result of significant learnings from its predecessor Alberta Active Communities (AAC) that was funded by the Alberta Lottery Fund, as well as EnCana.

So what are ACE Communities? Active, creative and engaged communities are those that have high levels of active involvement, creativity, social capital and social cohesion. They are communities that contribute to the creation of places, spaces, connections, and a culture that enables wide participation. The result? Communities that are productive, healthy, resilient, and innovative.

ARPA proudly recognizes the support of Cenovus Energy, Encana Corporation, and Rural Alberta's Development Fund for the ACE Communities initiative.