“I see recreation as a health benefit, as opposed to a competitive thing. We want to emphasize the health aspect of recreation – it becomes a personal philosophy instead of a competition,” explains Al Walsh, special projects officer at the City of Peterborough’s Recreation Division.

As a new member of the Peaceful Communities steering group, Al brings a recreation perspective to the group’s vision. He is helping incorporate the idea of peaceful leisure into the group’s mandate, and is doing his part to raise awareness of that idea throughout the local recreation field.

For example, Al plans to spread the message of peaceful recreation to local sports leagues. By doing so, he hopes it will have a positive impact on the Peterborough community.

“My vision of a peaceful community is a safe, peaceful environment to raise our children, and a community where everyone can participate in their chosen leisure pursuits in a clean, healthy and safe setting,” he says.

Ideally, that would involve a decrease in the competitive aspect – which can have a negative effect, and which detracts from the fun and health aspects of leisure, says Al. An example of how Al plans to address this issue is by implementing a penalty-free week with a local hockey league. Through incentives such as certificates, players will be encouraged not to commit penalties, he explains.

To achieve a more peaceful community, from a recreation point-of-view, people’s mindsets need to change regarding recreation, and so does their level of participation, says Al. Getting involved in community-structured leisure activities strengthens the community and creates a more positive environment, he explains.

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