The Town of Placentia is seeking an enthusiastic and organized individual to fill the role of Arena Manager. This position plays a vital role in managing the Town’s Winter recreation infrastructure. The role is seasonal in focus. This is a hands-on leadership role involving staff oversight, facility scheduling, stakeholder coordination and maintenance oversight.

Purpose of the Position:

To plan, implement, and supervise the arena portion of Port of Argentia Wellness Centre.

Hours: 35 hours weekly

Salary: As per Council policy

Key Responsibilities:

Conduct routine inspections of Arena.

Coordinate bookings and scheduling for the Arena.

Develop and deliver programming for various community demographics.  Ensure safety, cleanliness, and regulatory compliance of Arena.

Generate reports and updates for Council as requested.  Host/support special events.

Lead/Support interdepartmental events and initiatives.  Liaise with user groups and manage rental agreements.

Monitor program performance and execute post-event evaluations.  Onboarding, scheduling and training of staff.

Oversee arena operations, staffing and ice maintenance.

Participate in training opportunities, webinars, and sector-specific conferences.

Proficient in computer technology including but not limited to Microsoft and Google.  Any other duties as assigned.

Work Conditions:

Combination of office and on-site facility work, both indoor and outdoor.

Flexible work schedule including evenings and weekends based on rental needs.  Physical activity required for setup/takedown of events and program support.

Qualifications:

A post-secondary degree or diploma in Recreation, Community Development, or a related field or a combination of education and experience.  Broad understanding of municipal recreation and best practices.

Competency in scheduling systems and recreation program planning.  Minimum 2 years experience in staff supervision.

Excellent communication and organizational skills.

Familiarity with grant writing and community engagement techniques.  Genuine enthusiasm for promoting healthy, active lifestyles.

Clean Vulnerable Sector Check and Certificate of Conduct Required.  Valid Newfoundland driver’s license and access to personal vehicle.

Valid First Aid Certificate and WHIMIS Certificate or willingness to obtain upon hire.

Application Process

Interested applicants may submit their resumes in person at the Town Hall – 25 Patterson Drive, or via email to townofplacentia@placentia.ca no later than 3:00 PM on Friday, August 29^th 2025.

The Town of Placentia is an equal opportunity employer.

Dates: September 18 and 19, 2025

Location: Manuels River Community Centre, Town of Conception Bay South

Emcee: Dr. Katie Wadden

Cost: Free

The Active Living Leadership Network is pleased to offer you the 2025 ALL IN! Event at no cost.

This is your annual opportunity to connect and collaborate with others from across the province, who are passionate and striving to enhance Active Living for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

The goal of the Leadership Network structure is to enhance Active Living within the province through coordination and collaboration across sectors. The Network approach facilitates the opportunity for all Active Living resources, communication and services to be connected, supported and leveraged to their utmost ability.

The Network consists of individuals  from groups and organizations who are passionate about Active Living and improving the quality of life of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

The Network facilitates the opportunity for community partners and governments to collectively work together on Active Living. This supports the Well Being NL framework to increase quality of life. As well as, Let’s Get Moving: A Common Vision for increasing Physical Activity and Reducing Sedentary Living in Canada, that states it is only through coordination and collaboration across sectors and orders of government that physical activity can be increased and sedentary living reduced at the population level.

Your organization must be a member of the Active Living Leadership Network to register for this event. To become a member please complete the following form (one per organization, no fee)  https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sv/CjY0RX4/ActiveLivingLeadershipNet

Full schedule and presenter bios

Schedule at a glance

Friday Workshop

Registration: https://recreationnl.wildapricot.org/Events

Please note, when registering you must select which workshop you will be attending Friday morning. Therefore, each participant must complete their own registration form.

At the upcoming RNL AGM and Conference, members will vote to approve a special resolution regarding the RNL 2025 amended Constitution. The vote will take place at Business Meeting Part II on Thursday, May 1. Further to the member notice sent on March 28, please review the following documents pertaining to the special resolution and all changes within RNL’s new Staff and Board alignment. Steve Martin, RNL’s Executive Director, will be presenting on these changes at Business Meeting Part I on Wednesday, April 30.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out, and we look forward to seeing you all in Grand Falls-Windsor on Tuesday!

Special Resolution Document
Organizational Alignment for Strategic Success
Constitution COMPARE Document
Draft 2025 Amended Constitution
RNL Regional Zoning Map

We need your feedback. Are you involved in the parks sector? Your insights are essential in understanding how to improve access and inclusivity in parks and green spaces.

CPRA has launched the first-ever National Survey to gather insights on equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI) and reconciliation in parks and green spaces. We want to hear about your work in the sector and how we can keep advancing inclusive parks and green spaces. Your feedback will contribute to the Canadian Inclusive Green Spaces Symposium.

Make your voice heard and help create change – take the survey now: https://www.cpra.ca/canadian_inclusive_green_spaces_survey

Want to be part of the Symposium? Join us virtually for plenaries and sessions—learn more here: https://form.123formbuilder.com/6783362/urban-parks-symposium-interest-form

This is a members only virtual workshop

Date and Time: Thursday, May 8, 2025, from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM Newfoundland Time (NDT)

Session Description:

Recreation professionals balance heavy administrative tasks while creating meaningful programs. For small teams, AI can be a game-changer—automating tasks, streamlining workflows, and freeing up time for what truly matters. This webinar explores how AI can support recreation practitioners with mass communicating, grant writing, report writing, and note-taking to reduce stress and boost efficiency. Participants will discover practical AI tools tailored for recreation professionals, ensuring even the smallest teams can maximize their impact. Through real-world examples and interactive discussions, attendees will leave with actionable strategies to integrate AI into their daily work, making their jobs easier and more effective.

Speaker Bio:

Toby Nwabuogor is a speaker, author, and consultant helping recreation professionals integrate AI into their daily workflows. With experience in both recreation leadership and AI-driven efficiency strategies, Toby simplifies complex technology to make it practical and accessible. His work focuses on reducing administrative burdens, improving program delivery, and ensuring recreation practitioners—especially those in small or remote communities—have the tools they need to thrive. When he’s not writing or presenting, Toby enjoys traveling and learning from different cultures, applying global insights to his work in recreation.

Registration Required – link to registration is available on The Rec Zone.

Annual General Meeting & Conference

This year’s AGM and Conference Agenda will consist of Keynote Speaker Brad Gushue, informative workshops, social events, business meetings, and more. The 2025 AGM & Conference will be held in the Town of Grand Falls-Windsor on April 29 – May 1, 2025.

Detailed information, including full conference schedule and registration links can be found HERE.

Recreation NL is currently accepting applications for Active for Life.

Workshop to take place Monday, May 12 at Paradise Double Ice Complex

To apply please submit the application by Thursday, April 17, 2025

Application Form

What is Active for Life?

Active for Life is a physical activity program to reduce falls risk in older adults. This program outlines a program of balance and strength exercises that have been shown to reduce fall risk in older adults.

Active for Life Leaders complete a 7 hour of in-class instructional workshop, and have hands-on experience in program delivery to be qualified to lead this program.

More Information

For further information contact:
Pam Mills – pammills@recreationnl.com

WINTER WELL NL TOOLKIT 2025

Recreation NL and the Active Living Leadership Network Team has created the following resources to assist you and your network with active living communications during the month of February.

Feel free to use the resources as is or edit to make it your own.

The social media hashtag for the campaign is #WinterWellNL

We encourage you to lead by example and share pictures of your team getting active.

Resources include:

• Printable Active Calendar with an activity for each day of February.
• Printable blank Active Calendar to write the activity you complete each day or to use within a program.
• List of activities with links to online resources for more information.
• Pre-written social media and email messages.

        .   

HIGH FIVE^® National (PRO – Parks and Recreation Ontario) has informed Recreation NL (and all Provincial/Territorial Partners) that as of December 31, 2024 that Authorized Provider Agreements will end.

What does this mean?

Recreation NL will no longer be the Authorized Provider of HIGH FIVE^® for NL.

–      Starting January 1, 2025, all training and administration will be coordinated through the HIGH FIVE ^® National Office (PRO).

–      Trainers will retain their certifications and transition to contracts established with PRO in the new year.

–      PRO and HIGH FIVE^® trademarks, resources, logos, and all intellectual property will continue to be owned by PRO.

Where does Rec NL stand?

HIGH FIVE^® National (PRO) has proposed to Rec NL and all Provincial and Territorial partners to become regional partners to ensure the programs availability in growth across the country. While Rec NL has not made any formal agreement with HIGH FIVE^® National (PRO), we are engaged in conversations with our partners from the Atlantic region (Rec NB, Rec PEI and Rec NS).

Rec NL and our Board of Directors will continue to provide updates on our involvement with HIGH FIVE^®, as updates become available.

For inquiries or further information, please visit: https://www.highfive.org/

St. John’s, NL – Recreation NL has raised the bar on what recreation is in this province! During June is Recreation Month, Recreation NL launched a year-long campaign focusing on the body, mind, and soul and the benefits that come from making ‘you’ time. Recreation NL is pleased with the success of this campaign so far and hopes that with the help of this campaign, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians will learn more about recreation.

Recreation NL partnered with community members who serve as wellness ambassadors throughout the year as they showcase the different recreational activities they offer or are found in their region. With a notable 396,000 impressions through social media, the success of this campaign has hit larger numbers than anticipated!

These clips can be found in social media content, paid advertising, and other marketing opportunities throughout the year to promote the wide variety of recreation and wellness activities within the province.

“As part of this program, we wanted to see anything and everything – hiking treks, knitting groups, gardening, music lessons, craft corners, cooking classes, and beyond! Anything that keeps people happy and healthy – That’s Recreation! Showcasing the wellness activities that our recreation members are doing, helps others better understand what recreation really is. We are pleased to see the uptake in social media response to this campaign; the numbers speak for themselves!” says Recreation NL President, Jerry Knee.

Be sure to follow Recreation NL on Facebook, Instagram and X throughout the year to learn more about recreation with our team of ambassadors.

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