Healthy Rink Initiative

The Healthy Rink Initiative is a project designed to ensure that arenas on PEI are fun, safe and healthy environments for all Islanders. This initiative is the result of a societal move to ensure that public places are providing healthy experiences and choices for all citizens. Schools, communities, and businesses are all involved in this movement at varying levels. Recreation PEI and the provincial government though its Sports, Recreation and Physical Activity Division work with Island rinks to improve the event-going experience for participants and spectators alike.

The Healthy Rink Initiative highlights three specific areas:

1. Healthy Food Choices

  • Providing patrons with the opportunity to select foods/drinks that have a higher nutritional value than traditional foods served in rink canteens.
  • Making those changes in such a way that doesn’t impact too negatively on the canteen’s bottom line (We understand the importance of canteen revenues in the overall operation of arenas).
  • Working with the Healthy Eating Alliance to create a list of foods that are higher in nutritional value, have an acceptable shelf life, are easy to provide, and are popular among Islanders.

2. Healthy Physical Infrastructure

  • Providing participants and spectators with the healthiest and safest physical environment possible in which to enjoy their activity.
  • Ensuring that players are participating in an environment that is free from any potential hazards (good air quality, good resurfacing policies, sound lighting).
  • Ensuring that spectators are viewing the game in the safest environment possible (netting around the ice surface, etc.)
  • Hazard-free, clean and welcoming environment.

3. Healthy Social Environment

  • Ensuring that good sportsmanlike behavior is displayed among all involved in the event - coaches, players, officials, and spectators.
  • Providing healthy lifestyle messaging and information opportunities to patrons of the facility.
  • Generally doing whatever can be done to enhance the knowledge and practice of healthy lifestyles.