New Westminster - In 2007 the City of New Westminster Parks and Recreation Department took a bold step and demonstrated a commitment to healthy vending to help promote healthy lifestyle opportunities. June 24, 2008 will represent another huge step forward for healthy vending at Canada Games Pool. Hilary Knowles, Aquatic Manager, comments “we are very excited about upgrading our healthy vending program. Our healthy vending program was very well received by our customers who appreciate healthy choices. I see this customer appreciation increasing as we make our food and beverage choices even healthier.”

Jason Haight, Manager of Business Operations noted, “New Westminster Parks and Recreation started a healthy vending program over a year ago and it has been very successful. Customers appreciate the healthy snacks and it showed with an increase in sales. Every time we improve our healthy vending program, our sales increase. Over the last year many new products have come on the market, which helps to keep the program ‘fresh’ and successful. I expect this trend to continue as we further improve our healthy food and beverage selections at Canada Games Pool.”

Fraser Valley Vending is the service provider for the healthy vending program and they have shown tremendous industry leadership by providing customers with a variety of nutritious and low calorie foods and beverages. The traditional vending snacks, like chocolate bars and sugar based pops, are now being replaced with carrot sticks, milk and yogurt.

Fraser Valley Vending, like Parks and Recreation, believes that healthy living starts with what you fuel your body with. Science has proven time after time that fitness combined with healthy eating will reduce your health risks and improve your quality of life. It is estimated that one in three British Columbians will have diabetes by 2017. More and more children are being classified as obese. Hilary Knowles states “the choice for increasing our healthy vending program was not difficult at all. The mounting evidence that nutrition is a vital link in health made the decision easy. It is our business to lower diabetes and obesity in our community.”

Drop by Canada Games Pool on June 24 between 6:00 – 8:00 pm and enjoy free healthy vending samples provided by Fraser Valley Vending. It would also be a great night for a family swim or workout.

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: New Westminster Parks and Recreation

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Jason Haight
Manager of Business Operations
Acting Filming Coordinator
New Westminster Parks and Recreation
600 Eighth Street, New Westminster, BC, V3M 3S2
Ph: 604-527-4630 Fax: 604-526-6358

www.nwpr.bc.ca

Parks & Recreation...Making It Happen!