Vision: To encourage Albertan's of all ages and abilities to choose Active Transportation on a daily basis.
Mission: Our mission is to have every Albertan choose safe, healthy, active modes of transportation on a regular basis.
SHAPE (Safe Healthy Active People Everywhere) is an Alberta wide non-profit organization that promotes active travel throughout Alberta. We encourage all Albertans to use physically active modes of travel on a regular basis! SHAPE promotes safe active transportation which in turn promotes individual health, benefits the environment, and reduces traffic congestion in communities.
We are an active member of the Active Alberta Coalition, a group of organizations that collaborate through programs, services, research, and advocacy to help Albertans be physically active.
If you would like to receive information about upcoming events, please contact Lesley McEwan.
History
SHAPE began with a group of individuals concerned about transportation issues around school sites. Ten Edmonton schools embarked on a pilot project during the 2000-01 school year. The principals involved in the project named this program SHAPE (Safe Healthy Active People Everywhere) as it reflects the key elements of health, safety, and the environment. The foundation of SHAPE is that the school staff, parents, students and community work together to identify concerns and develop solutions while utilizing available resources that link child traffic safety to the Alberta Curriculum.
SHAPE expanded and became a provincial non-profit society in 2001 in order to serve all Albertans. SHAPE conducted its first Guinness World Record Challenge in 2005 and took the world record for the most people walking simultaneously. 79,815 participants walked a kilometer at the same time throughout the province at 321 different locations.
National Partnership
The Canadian Active & Safe Routes to School Partnership
The Canadian Active & Safe Routes to School Partnership is a national group working to increase the number of school-aged children who travel to school using active, sustainable and safe modes of transportation.
Active & Safe Routes to School advocates for and provides support for the independent movement for children and youth. Imagine in your community:
- groups of children walking to school
- traffic and safety problems solved by community members and decision-makers
- more places for walking & wheeling
- cycling skills training programs
- and more …
The goals of the Canadian Active & Safe Routes to School Partnership are to:
- provide a strong identity and voice at the national level;
- create durable and sustaining relationships across the country; and
- provide support for national, provincial, and territorial initiatives and policies through coordinated resources.
In the 1990′s, strong ASRTS Provincial lead organizations developed in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia (with interested groups in the other provinces and territories). In 2008 provincial stakeholders held a face-to-face meeting where the possibility of a national partnership was discussed. Out of this has emerged the beginning of a strong national group working collaboratively on their shared vision for the safe, healthy and independent mobility of children and youth.
