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Prevention should be a key strategy

I attended the all-candidate forum at the Prestige Hotel in Nelson last week, however, I was unable to ask you a question

Open letter to Nelson-Creston candidates:

I attended the all-candidate forum at the Prestige Hotel in Nelson last week, however, I was unable to ask you a question due to the large turnout.

Preventing disease saves valuable health care resources. We continue to spend too little of the entire health care budget on prevention and health promotion. We continue to focus on hospitals and illness care which, due to shifts in demographics and arrival of new technologies, will have expanding costs. We know regions which spend more on fitness and health promotion have populations with less chronic disease and longer life spans (eg: Richmond, Vancouver, Kelowna, Victoria).

My question was regarding your physical activity strategy if your party has one. First, the recreation facilities in this region need increase space and funding. For example, the Nelson and District Community Complex has one fitness room which holds 20 people and serves a population of over 25,000. Most recreation facilities have gyms where fitness classes can be held. Private fitness facilities in Nelson are cost prohibitive, especially to low and middle income people.

Physical activity is essential to health, mental wellness and healthy aging. It reduces chronic disease therefore, saves health care dollars.

My question: How is your party going to advocate and support the recreation centres in this region to increase physical activity? How is your party going to support and advocate for more bike riding, walking, and running in Nelson, in the region, and in the province?

Linda Rollins

Nelson