2020 Bursary Recipients
Alex Estela
Over the past five years, Alex has worked for The Town of Ajax in various positions including camp staff, festival and event staff, site supervisor of The Spot Collaborative Youth Hub, and Youth Program Leader within the Town of Ajax Youth Rooms. Prior to this, Alex worked for the Durham Regional Police Service as a supervisor and program coordinator of their Youth In Policing Initiative, as well as the OSCC55+ as a Recreation and Special Events Coordinator during the summer of 2019.
Alex is a graduate of the Durham College Recreation and Leisure Services Program and will be returning to Durham College in September 2020 in their new Esports Business Management Graduate Certificate Program. He is the founder and current president of the Durham College Esports Club and the host of the Power On Podcast for Durham College’s Riot Radio. Alex also received the 2015 Public Hero award by the Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI) GTA for my contribution and commitment to youth, 2020 PRO Bob Secord Award, and 2020 Durham College Alumni Association (DCAA) Leaders of the Future Award.
Alex aspires to work within the recreation and leisure field as a municipal supervisor or manager. He also hope to explore the possibilities of e-sports within the recreation and leisure field while creating inclusive and engaging programs for members of my community.
Kim Bryan
Kim Bryan has worked in the recreation, health, and sport sectors for over a decade. After earning a B.A. from the University of Victoria in the recreation and health education co-op program (and swimming varsity!), she set sights on the small town of Golden, BC where she has since worked as Recreation Coordinator for the municipality. For the past eight years she has dedicated herself to growing “the little pool that could” and creating leadership opportunities for the staff who work there.
Kim looks forward to a lifelong career in recreation, and is grateful to the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association for the Harry Boothman Bursary, which will go toward education in local government administration.
Rachel Bedingfield
Rachel Bedingfield is the Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of Kentville, Nova Scotia. In 2015, she was named to the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women in Sport and Physical Activity (CAAWS) list of the top 25 most influential women in Canada in the field of Sport and Physical Activity. Rachel has served as a board member with Recreation Nova Scotia, as an Individual Member with Commonwealth Games Canada, and currently sits on the National Parks Task Team for CPRA. In 2016 Rachel helped spearhead the efforts to form WomenActive-NS, an organization focused on ensuring all women and girls in Nova Scotia have access to the benefits of sport and recreation. Most recently in 2019 Rachel was awarded the Community Leadership Award from Acadia University, and she currently chairs the provincial committee for Access and Inclusion to Recreation in Nova Scotia.
Throughout her career, Rachel has advocated for the use of sport and recreation as tools for the development of both individuals and communities. A passionate believer that all persons have the right to play, Rachel’s work continues to focus on access through the lens of equity. A former varsity athlete and a lover of the outdoors, Rachel is often seen with her pack on, heading into the wilderness to reconnect with the natural world.
