In attendance for Steinbach's award was Steinbach Councillor Susan Penner (with son Mark), Sylvia Nilsson-Barkman, Chair of the Age Friendly Committee, Steinbach MLA Kelvin Goertzen and Steinbach 55 Plus President Pat Porter.
The communities of Dunnottar, Pinawa, Springfield, Steinbach and The Pas were presented with Age-Friendly Community Milestone Awards by Healthy Living, Seniors and Consumer Affairs Minister Jim Rondeau, as the province proclaimed June 4 to 8 Age-Friendly Week in Manitoba.
“Our Age-Friendly Manitoba Initiative is in its fifth year and there are now 85 communities committed to supporting seniors,” said Rondeau. “Today, we honour five Manitoba communities that are outstanding role models, inspiring other communities to follow in their footsteps.”
The province has worked closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada and other provinces to develop the milestones that define what it means to be an age-friendly community. Each of the award-winning communities have:
• established an advisory committee that includes the active engagement of older adults;
• secured a local municipal council resolution to actively support, promote and work towards becoming age-friendly;
• established a robust and concrete plan of action that includes a needs assessment developed with older adults;
• demonstrated a commitment to action by publicly posting the action plan; and
• committed to measuring activities, reviewing and reporting publicly on action plan outcomes.
“Communities throughout Manitoba that are part of the Age-Friendly Initiative have received tremendous value,” said Doug Dobrowolski, president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities. “Many positive changes are occurring at a local level that will improve the lives of citizens of all ages.”
Steinbach’s Age-Friendly Community Council consists of 10 community members including a city councillor. It has made great strides in a short time by focusing on two of the World Health Organization’s eight age-friendly dimensions each year. Issues that have been successfully reviewed include sidewalks, traffic lights, outdoor space needs, intergenerational opportunities, transportation options and seniors’ housing.
“The Town of Pinawa has embraced the concept of creating an age-friendly community and we are honoured to receive this award today,” said Marsha Sheppard, chair of the Pinawa Age-Friendly committee. “In recognition of Age-Friendly Week, we have organized an intergenerational walk with our many community partners and we invite others to join in our celebration on Friday, June 8.”
Age-Friendly Manitoba is dedicated to making this province the most supportive in Canada, said Rondeau. Partners include the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, the University of Manitoba’s Centre on Aging and various senior organizations, community leaders and service providers.
Age-Friendly Week celebrates the importance of supporting seniors in leading active, socially engaged, independent lives that contribute to healthy aging and create environments that enhance quality of life for all Manitobans.
More than 80 per cent of Manitobans live in communities that are supportive of seniors. The Age Friendly Initiative is based on work done by the World Health Organization. Manitoba is seen as a world leader in creating supportive communities for older adults, the minister said.
