Andrew Crowe has been working as the Recreation & Community Development Manager for the Town of Rosthern for the past 7 years, and previous to this, he was employed for many years with Canlan Ice Sports. He graduated from SIAST with a Diploma in Recreation and Tourism Management. In addition to his work in recreation, he also volunteers his time as a board member with the Lakeland District for Sport, Culture and Recreation, and has done so for the last 6 years.
We asked Andrew a few questions about what recreation means to him, and why he loves working in the field. Here's what he had to say:
What does recreation mean to you?
Recreation means quality of life. I believe that recreation is an essential service that everyone should have access to and should be given the opportunity to enjoy.
What do you love about working in recreation?
I love knowing that the work I do on a day-to-day basis affects the entire community in positive ways, and enhances the lives of everyone within the community. I enjoy the long-term planning aspect of my job, ensuring that recreation opportunities are available and sustainable for generations to come.
Why do you work as a recreation professional?
I work as a recreation professional 
because I see the value in it, I enjoy helping others, and ensuring that opportunities are available for all members of our community. I also really enjoy the operations of recreational facilities, enhancing them, and seeing long-term projects come to fruition.
Why is recreation so vital to communities in Saskatchewan?
Recreation is extremely vital to our communities for countless reasons, but I think the most important is the positive mental and physical health benefits that can be obtained through participating. The province of Saskatchewan is under a mental health and obesity crisis, and I think creating inclusive and accessible recreation opportunities at the local level is a crucial step towards reducing the high numbers we see.
Recreation also brings us together, and with the influx of newcomers to our province we need to use it as a tool to build new relationships and strengthen the fabrics of our communities.
Recreation Professionals Week is June 18-24, 2018 in Saskatchewan.
For more information on Recreation Professionals, visit sarponline.ca.
