Alberta Blue Cross® announces 2024 Built Together grant recipients
NEWS RELEASE February 6, 2025 For immediate release
Alberta Blue Cross is excited to announce another year supporting active living infrastructure across the province through its Built Together grant program. After careful review of 115 applications, Alberta Blue Cross has awarded the following 5 projects with a $50,000 grant each:
- Norwood School, Edmonton: accessible playground
- Dover neighbourhood, Calgary: dementia-inclusive park
- Centennial Park, Jasper: skatepark
- Salt Prairie, Big Lakes County: playground
- Big Horn, Stoney Nakoda First Nation: accessible playground
Each year, the Built Together grant program offers $50,000 grants to fund infrastructure projects that foster active living in each of the following areas: Edmonton, Calgary, a secondary city, a rural community and an Indigenous community. The projects must be freely accessible to all community members, and while they support physical wellbeing, they also stand as a hub for social interaction.
“As a champion for wellbeing, Alberta Blue Cross has supported more than 50 community infrastructure projects across the province over the past 11 years through our Built Together grant program,” says Brian Geislinger, senior vice president of Corporate Relations and Community Engagement with Alberta Blue Cross. “This includes playgrounds, bike and skateboard parks, multi-use sports courts and rinks, outdoor gyms and walking trails.”
These active living projects are essential in connecting and creating community, as seen in Salt Prairie with the need for an inclusive playground to replace a dangerous, unusable recreational facility. Salt Prairie sits within Big Lake County, which has an Indigenous population of roughly 50 per cent, and is accessible to nearby municipal districts, hamlets and First Nations settlements. This playground will connect community members while supporting active play with ramps and transfer points that allow children of all abilities to enjoy it.
“Projects like these are often costly, and without the financial backing of organizations like Alberta Blue Cross, small rural communities like ours would find it challenging to undertake such vital projects,” says Ana Bruce and Ann Wallace of the Salt Prairie Settlement Community Club. “We are deeply appreciative to have been awarded this Built Together grant from Alberta Blue Cross.” Funding for the program comes from the Alberta Blue Cross community foundation.
The 2025 Built Together grant program will open for applications in the spring. More information on previous recipients and how to apply is available on the Alberta Blue Cross community website.
About Alberta Blue Cross
As the largest provider of health benefits in Alberta, we believe we have the potential and responsibility to impact people’s lives for the better. We believe all communities should thrive, and we are committed to serving as a champion for wellness by promoting the health of Albertans.
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For more information, please contact Sharmin Hislop, director, Corporate Communications, Alberta Blue Cross, at 780-498-8283 or [email protected].
