In 2019, the award was presented at the Annual General Meeting on June 26th to Rick Burrowes, in recognition of his leadership by strengthening health knowledge and skills, sustaining environment supportive of health and having a significant impact in the community of Old Ottawa East.

As a resident of Old Ottawa East for many years, Rick has been instrumental in re-imagining and animating Springhurst Park, a small City of Ottawa park tucked away just south of Lees Avenue.

Springhurst Park is the only nearby park serving thousands of residents of the five Lees Avenue apartment towers. Over the past decade, SHCHC has partnered with community organizations and the City to support various capital infrastructure improvements in Springhurst Park. These efforts have made Springhurst Park far more appealing to use. While the capital improvements to Springhurst Park are fantastic, the engagement of residents in their local park has largely been a result of the efforts of Rick Burrowes.

Rick lives adjacent to the park and has taken the initiative over a number of years to observe how the park was being used. He has created opportunities to further enhance the healthy active living components of the park. As a proponent of outdoor active living himself, Rick recognizes the importance of public park spaces, not only for the physical exercise benefits but for the social and cross-cultural benefits as well.

Many of the residents of the Lees Avenue towers are newcomers to Canada with diverse recreation interests. With this in mind, Rick purchased a picnic table, bolted a ping-pong table top to it, provided a net, paddles and balls, and has seen residents flock to use it. Similarly, Rick purchased PVC drain pipe tubing and fabricated two medium-sized soccer goalpost frames that can be pulled out to the field at 160 Lees for public use by children and their friends and parents. Rick has provided and set up badminton nets with racquets and birdies, hoola-hoops, frisbees and balls, all stored in his yard when not in use.

Rick’s initiative to construct and provide sporting equipment has greatly animated the park. Families now not only come to use the gear and exercise together, but they are often also meeting new people there as well. Reduction of social isolation is a benefit to the community as a whole and the health outcomes are improved through the initiatives Rick has undertaken.

More recently, Rick has been the lead community resident advising the City on the resurfacing of the Springhurst basketball court. When the work was completed below standard, Rick advocated tirelessly until the issue had been rectified.

In the fall of 2018, Rick launched a campaign called “Vison Springhurst 2019”, an effort to encourage other residents to become involved in advocating and leading initiatives to further improve Springhurst Park.

Through his kind and modest approach, Rick continues to succeed in creating a healthy and connected community through his contributions to animate Springhurst Park.