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What Makes a Community?
What makes a community? For Vivo it’s how we support and inspire each other in our health journeys and how we make space to experience curiosity, connection and play.
For business owner Mark Caldwell and his family, as Vivo has grown in his community, so have the countless opportunities to connect, engage, support and benefit.
When Mark opened Canadian Tire Country Hills in 1999, “Vivo was a marsh. The high school, Vivo, Superstore – nothing was there. For a few years they were aerating the soil, then eventually in 2004 that’s when it all started,” he recalls.
Through Canadian Tire’s Jumpstart program, Mark has been able to see thousands of local families access subsidized memberships to Vivo’s programming.
“Whenever Vivo has asked for help, we’ve done whatever we can. The goals and mandate of Jumpstart are to help children and families, and this is exactly what Vivo does – we align perfectly.”
Jumpstart is more than just about getting kids active. It’s about giving kids from families in financial need the same chance to participate as their neighbours, their classmates and their friends. Whether it’s the chance to try a new sport or to continue with a favourite one, no child should be left out. (Learn more about Jumpstart)
Through programs like Jumpstart, Vivo is connecting and empowering people to figure out what living a healthier life looks like and feels like to them personally. And this, in turn, builds strong, resilient neighbourhoods. For Mark it just makes sense.
“As a business in this community for 22 years, it’s been valuable for the people moving into the community to ensure we have a vibrant and exciting and healthy community, and Vivo is the cornerstone of that. This attracts people to move into this area, which therefore increases the population of the community and in turn increases my business. So it’s a win-win from both sides.”
But Mark is not just an incredibly engaged business owner. He and his family have also been key supporters of Vivo’s expansion initiative. He has demonstrated that he’s All In for Community as a member of the capital campaign cabinet, and his family is All In too! They are the named supporter of the soon-to-be revealed Caldwell Family Staircase – a beautiful architectural feature of Vivo’s new expansion.
A structural engineer by training, Mark is excited to talk about how it feels to watch the progress and to see the trusses go up. When asked what he sees for the future of Vivo, he reflects on the unique approach Vivo has taken in designing the expansion alongside community.
“This new space is shaped by a lot of leading-edge ideas on how to embed accessibility, sustainability and inclusivity in the design. Once we open, we’ll see how those ideas take seed. We’ll learn how people want to use the facility and that will give us new opportunities as a community.”
For Mark and his family, the expansion plan shows how important Vivo is to the community. And for Vivo, relationships like the one we have with the Caldwell family and Canadian Tire Country Hills is a beautiful example of connection and collaboration. It shows how healthy communities help us all thrive and prosper!
“Whenever Vivo has asked for help, we’ve done whatever we can. The goals and mandate of Jumpstart are to help children and families, and this is exactly what Vivo does - we align perfectly.”