By Chris Brown

Healthy Communities Initiative

Building up public spaces to build up community and a sense of belonging

Feb 9, 2021 | 2:43 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – More than $1.2 million in funding is available in southern Alberta to transform public spaces to help with social healing to help the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s part of building a healthier community and really going into the grassroots of outdoor spaces, why they’re so important and really trying to bring back joy to communities that has kind of been taken from them,” says Sue Edwards, executive director of the Community Foundation of Southeastern Alberta. “Streets are empty, people aren’t out enjoying the outdoors maybe as much as they could be. So it’s to provide safe, social distancing environments to assist with social healing from the results of the pandemic.”

Organizations across southern Alberta such as local governments, charities, non-profits and Indigenous communities are eligible to apply for between $5,000 and $250,000 in funding.

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The money comes from the federal government’s new $31 million Healthy Communities Initiative.

Edwards says that a chat during a webinar Tuesday morning with her counterparts from across the province was filled with amazing ideas.

They included pop-up bike rentals, community gardens, pedestrian-only streets in downtown cores and pop-up art exhibitions.

Other ideas were more digital-focused.

“Wi-Fi hubs is something else that they’ve really noticed through this COVID has been an issue so Wi-Fi hubs. Also maybe an app for curbside delivery for local markets that aren’t going to gouge customers,” she said.

Edwards adds she’s excited to see what the innovative and creative people of Medicine Hat can come up with for projects to help this community heal and build back stronger than before.

The application period for the first round of funding ends on March 9. Applications for a second round will begin in May.

For more information and to apply visit healthycommunitiesinitiative.ca.