An inspiring cultural shift in Antigonish

Staff of the Municipality of the County of Antigonish taking a walking break together at work.

A community-minded approach to help people in the Municipality of the County of Antigonish (MOCA) move more, connect and thrive is showing great returns. By focusing on simple movement, residents of this Make Your Move Community are finding everyday ways to increase activity.

Local leadership started this cultural shift by putting together a team of passionate individuals, from across all sectors, who also envisioned a healthier tomorrow. Next, they shared the message about movement and set reachable goals. The results are tangible and inspiring.

“People are living the movement every day and passing the message on to their community,” says Shirlyn Donovan, the county’s chief administrative officer.

She has seen how a shared vision can take root and grow when the whole community is involved. Through this Healthy Tomorrow Foundation Make Your Move initiative, residents are reducing social isolation and building community bonds and the local economy.

From the Antigonish Active Transportation Corridor to public spaces designed for everyone to gather, from schools to local neighbourhoods, this message about movement can be seen throughout the municipality. Vibrant pink branding that encourages residents to move a little bit more appears throughout MOCA in key areas.

Shirlyn Donovan pictured on the right

“As participation grows, we hope to see a boost to the local economy,” says Shirlyn. The community-wide approach draws in local businesses, physicians and other professionals. A more active population reduces strain on health care. Downtowns become safer, more inclusive and livelier spaces for residents and visitors alike. “If we build a community that people want to live in, it benefits everybody.”

Shirlyn and her team haven’t had to work alone. Their efforts have been supported by the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, through its Let’s Get Moving Nova Scotia Action Plan. The Healthy Tomorrow Foundation also provides marketing and communications support, including design tools and elements that communities can use to bring the movement to life.

The community has also drawn on the expertise of Ellen Kehr, past organizational lead for Albert Lea – Blue Zones Project. Blue Zones are regions of the world identified by author Dan Buettner where people live significantly longer, healthier lives. His research highlights shared lifestyle habits – like natural movement, strong social connections and purposeful living – that contribute to longevity.

Albert Lea was a pilot project community that put these theories to the test, with excellent results. It once had health indicators well below national and state standards. The first step to change required only passion and leadership from various sectors in the community ready to help. Rethinking how the built environment could better support movement as a natural part of everyday life was also part of the success in Albert Lea. Ellen also advised MOCA leadership that a cultural shift like this needs to include everyone, and that everyone needs to be able to navigate the community.  

The Make Your Move Communities initiative is not a duplication of the Blue Zones model. Rather, it adapts key insights like the ones provided by Ellen to the Nova Scotia context. It aligns with our province’s culture, existing resources and community supports.

“We approached the work to be accessible to everybody,” Shirlyn says. By making accessibility a priority while developing and adapting trails, parks and other public gathering spaces, the community is also aligning with Nova Scotia’s new built environment accessibility standard.  

The movement is already flourishing in Antigonish, Lockeport, New Glasgow, Wagmatcook and Yarmouth. Healthy and vibrant communities are possible, without any upfront financial investment, for all Nova Scotians.

To make movement part of your community’s story, consider:

·      starting Make Your Move at Work programs at various workplaces

·      creating walking clubs, neighbourhood garden co-ops or other free social opportunities for movement

·      launching Kids Run Club at local schools

·      checking out the Activate Your Neighbourhood Guide from the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association for more free ideas

If you’d like to learn more about these positive changes in Antigonish, contact Meaghan MacNeil, Make Your Move Antigonish project lead and MOCA active living coordinator, at meaghan.macneil@antigonishcounty.ca.