2020 Parks Forum
The following online survey will act as the tool for submission of presentations to the Advisory Committee for the 2020 Parks Forum. This survey is savable (look for button on top of the page) and a link will be emailed to you so you can pick up where you left off.
Forum Overview
The 2020 Parks Forum will be held from
March 11-14, 2020 at the Coast Canmore Hotel and Conference Centre. This educational and networking event will attract up to 175 delegates from across Western Canada.
The Parks Forum series was inspired by the incredible diversity of parks, landscapes and open spaces in this country. As a result, the Forum has been attended by a broad cross-section of participants from the three major levels of government in park provision (municipal, provincial and national) as well as a variety of key partners, educators and students. The 2020 Parks Forum will include front line and mid-level staff to connect, learn, and develop their skills as ARPA combines our 2019 inaugural Parks School audience to this coming event.
The 2020 Parks Forum event has secured North American Regional Congress status from World Urban Parks and will include a cadre of international speakers providing keynote addresses, sessions and workshops.
2020 Objectives
The primary objectives of the Parks Forum are:
- To provide educational and development opportunities that include the exchange of views, sharing of experiences and learning of new and unique approaches to planning and managing parks and open spaces;
- To develop ideas, concepts and proposals for realistic interaction and collaboration on issues and initiatives of common interest and concern; and,
- To explore the connections, benefits and roles that parks provide in today’s ever-changing society.
These important objectives will be achieved at the 2020 Parks Forum through a program that will appeal to a broad range of interests, and engage a variety of learning styles. The program consists of keynote speakers, inter-active workshops, concurrent sessions, panel discussions, plenary sessions, student integration, trade show and opportunities for informal social interaction.
Alberta Parks and Recreation Association (ARPA) is a provincial charitable not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of recreation and parks and their positive effects on the quality of life of Albertans. ARPA has successfully facilitated eight previous Parks Forums, demonstrating their proactive leadership in the field of parks and outdoor recreation.
Parks Forum 2020 Theme
The theme for the 2020 Parks Forum is:
Parks, Landscapes & Open Spaces: Parks & Resilience.
In the world in which we find ourselves, parks play an important role in both the natural environment and humans alike. However, with an increasingly diverse and complex world, parks at all levels (national, provincial, regional and municipal) from all over the world will need to be resilient in their design, development, and facilitation in their community. Parks foster resilient communities - advancing health and wellness, economic opportunities and sustained cultural traditions.
Parks for All - “Our common belief is that in all forms - from city green spaces to wilderness areas - parks are essential to a long-term vision for everyone in Canada. Parks for All means to bring together parks professionals, their many partners, and engaged citizens under the shared goal of healthy Nature and healthy people, so that we can align our efforts and achieve more together.”
With that in mind, the 2020 Parks Forum theme will be Parks & Resilience. Discussions of resilient parks, resilient communities, resilient environments may include, but not limited to:
- Climate Change
- Fiscal/Financial
- Biodiversity
- Social Capital
- Green Infrastructure
- Collaboration/Partnerships
- Leadership, Disrupters, and Innovators
- Disaster Recovery
- Management Effectiveness
- Sustainability
We invite all those who can speak to the theme of Parks & Resilience to submit an abstract by
October 30, 2019.