Inspiring Canadians to re-imagine their neighbourhoods

"Social connectedness is the best thing we can do for our health and well-being" . By Jenna Braun Faculty of Health Our neighbourhoods are essential spaces for physical activity and social connectedness. Dr. Troy Glover, chair of the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, with the help of Christa Costas-Bradstreet, director of partnership and policy at the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA), are inspiring people to look at their neighbourhoods in a new way - not just as utilitarian spaces, but as areas in which they can be creative, try new things, connect with others and build community ties. Together they've created Activate Your Neighbourhood , a tactical guide aligned with Canada's physical activity strategy, Let's Get Moving. Recommendations based on research findings   "The guide is inspired by my research program," explains Glover, who is also the director for the Health Communities Research Network (HCRN), a network focused on community initiatives of equity, livability, conviviality, sustainability, prosperity, governance and other features that make a community healthy and productive. Quality of life is at the heart of Glover's research, with a concentration on what attaches an individual or group to a space, and how social relationships can allow individuals to access resources that would otherwise be unavailable to them.  "I want to really emphasize the social connectedness part of this," says Glover. "The more research I do on social connection and health outcomes, the more I see how intertwined they are."  The initial idea for Activate Your Neighbourhood began during the COVID-19 pandemic.