Park Power

Your Friendly, Local Utilities Provider

Community Building

Support CKUA With Your Power Bills

· · Leave a Comment Community Building, Consumer Info, Electricity, Interesting

Park Power is excited to have the CKUA Radio Network as one of our Community Partners.

CKUA is a donor-supported arts organization that inspires and connects through the power of music, arts, culture and story. With a focus on musical discovery, they showcase the best creative work from Alberta and beyond and deliver it on-air, online and in-person.

Through the Community Partner Program, when a customer signs up with Park Power and designates CKUA as their Community Partner, Park Power will share 10% of our profits from that customer’s electricity bills with CKUA.

CKUA’s talented roster of hosts and producers are gifted guides to the creative world, drawing from deep knowledge, research and personal passion to give their audience the richest possible experience. Each host has free rein to curate their playlists, unencumbered by genre, decade or ‘hit’ lists. Often, they even draw from their own personal collections or CKUA’s legendary library which holds 140 years of recorded music. From jazz and blues to celtic and bluegrass, CKUA specialty shows dive deep into specific genres. Their eclectic programs give you nothing but the best of…nearly everything.

Outside of the music that CKUA plays, it is a wonderful Alberta cultural resource. The work that CKUA does to support, promote, and connect the Alberta cultural arts community provides so much value to this province. At Park Power we are very happy to support CKUA’s continued community building efforts through our Community Partner Program.

Get Signed up with Park Power to support the CKUA Radio Network.

COVID Community Support in Alberta

· · Leave a Comment Community Building, Consumer Info

Local Alberta Energy Marketers Making a Difference During COVID-19 Pandemic

Albertans continue to come together in many different ways to support each other and their communities during this challenging time. Last week, UTILITYnet announced its Utility Deferral Program which will assist all customers under our umbrella that are experiencing financial hardship as a direct results of COVID-19.  

In addition to the deferral program, the local Energy Marketers in our network are going above and beyond their typical community initiatives to give back to the places they live and work. 

In Part 1 of our blog series, we shared stories of how Camrose Energy was supporting other local businesses and how Mountain View Power has been coordinating efforts to 3D print face shields and ear guards for healthcare professionals in the County of Mountain View. 

In Part 2 of our blog series, we are sharing even more good news stories about how our network is supporting Albertans. Here are three more great reasons to shop locally and support businesses who are investing in Alberta.

Get Energy – A Creative Way to Stay Connected

Get Energy, owned by Malcolm and Jenelle Setter, has been operating in Fort McMurray for five years. In that time, they have established themselves as influential community members, taking part in community events and donating to several charities in the Wood Buffalo area.

“I believe we have a social responsibility as a company to try and leave things better than we found them,” said Malcolm. “This is where we work, live and play, and giving back is our way of saying thank you to our customers.”

Aside from their ongoing financial support of organizations such as the Fort McMurray Boys and Girls Club, Waypoints Community Services Associate, Fort City Church, and the McMurray Gospel Assembly, Malcolm and Jenelle have come up with a unique way to support Albertans who may be feeling isolated because of recent social distancing requirements. 

It’s called the “Ask Us Anything” campaign, where Albertans in the Wood Buffalo area and across the province can text questions to Get Energy at (780) 665-4771.

Albertans are encouraged to text Get Energy whatever they like. If they are just looking for a friendly text to brighten their day, want to chat back and forth about what’s best on Netflix, or are wondering what restaurants are still open in their neighbourhood, Get Energy is ready to help.

“We know there are lots of questions and uncertainties right now, and we are being bombarded with information from so many sources,” said Malcolm. “We thought, what if we could help get some of the information out to our community, but rather than send out another mass email, we would tailor it to just what people want to know.”

“No question is too hard, and if we can’t find an answer, we will at least point that person to someone who can.”

At a time where some Albertans are feeling socially isolated, this text line may be a small way to feel a little more connected. 

Park Power – Ongoing Financial Support for Deserving Organizations

When Kris Kasawski started Park Power in 2013, he decided to build profit sharing and community investment into his business plan. Giving back to the community had always been important to him and launching Park Power provided a great opportunity to fulfill this ideal.

So, Park Power’s Community Partner program was born. Through the program, Kasawski shares 10% of Park Power’s electricity usage profits with deserving local charities that he believes, “are carrying out important and valuable work in our community”. 

With the recent addition of Parents Empowering Parents and Dreamcatcher Nature Assisted Therapy, Park Power now has 8 Community Partners that will benefit from ongoing annual donations.

“Fundamentally, I believe in positivity and wanted the Park Power brand to be a positive business presence in the community,” said Kasawski. “Making regular structured investments into local organizations is one way for Park Power to make positive contributions to our community. It has been great having the profit-sharing program built into our business plan because as the business has grown, so have our annual profit-sharing donation amounts.”

In six years of business, Park Power has given back over $20,000 through the Community Partner Program and sponsorships of various community events.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact local economies, non-profits across the province are sure to be feeling the financial strain. Closures and layoffs have likely reduced donations, and social distancing measures have forced organizations to cancel or suspend key fundraising events. 

“Charities and non-profits of all kinds are facing challenging times currently and in the near term,” said Kasawski. “Contributions that these organizations make to our communities are so valuable. They need our help more than ever and we must continue to support them however we can. My commitment for Park Power to give back to our community remains and even strengthens in times like these.”

Vector Energy – Making a Difference While Staying Safe

An entrepreneur by nature, Dave Birkby started Vector Energy in Calgary in 2011 and has always been a proponent for supporting local companies. 

“When you support local businesses, you are ensuring that the money you spend on things like your utilities, is staying in the province,” said Birkby. “In difficult times like these, it is more important than ever that our money stays local as this could mean your favourite local company being able to pay employees and stay in business while we all work together to flatten the curve.”

At 72 years old, Birkby is included in the group of Albertans who are most vulnerable when it comes to COVID-19; but self-isolation hasn’t stopped him from doing his part for his community. 

“Unfortunately, I have not been able to venture out to volunteer with any service groups,” said Birkby. “The only thing I could do is donate to local charities, so really, its financial support for the community that makes the most sense for Vector Energy.”

Since COVID-19 was announced as a global pandemic, and social distancing measures were put in place in Alberta, Birkby has made donations to eight deserving charities including:

 A Message from the Owners of UTILITYnet

As the province continues to navigate its “new normal,” we want to take a moment to thank our fellow Albertans for doing their part for their community. Whether you are getting groceries for a member of your family who is at high risk, making a point to shop locally to support small businesses, or donating to a worthy cause, you are making a difference, and we thank you.

If you need any help during the COVID-19 shutdown, we are here to help in any way we can. 

Help your neighbour, be safe, and be vigilant. 

Madeline Low & Nick Clark

Founders of Utility Network and Partners Inc.

Park Power’s 6th Birthday!

· · Leave a Comment Community Building, Consumer Info, Interesting, Solar Power

November 1, 2019 marked 6 years since Park Power launched onto the Alberta utilities markets and I wanted to share some thoughts about how we have been able to compete and grow steadily over that time.

Our size matters. The fact that Park Power is smaller than the large, integrated incumbents gives us some competitive advantages. When you need us, you’ll be dealing with our wonderful and friendly Alberta based Customer Care Team over the phone or conveniently via email. We do not have the high overhead costs that the traditional utilities do and as such we are able to offer low rates, with awesome service, while still sharing profits with charities.

We care about our community. From the start, I believed in Park Power’s ability to be a positive presence in the community. Profit sharing was built into the business model from the beginning. Plus, we have chosen to support a variety of other community initiatives and events through sponsorship because we believe in community building and I want Park Power to be a brand know for that.

My experience with and affinity for solar power is benefiting Albertans with solar pv systems. Before Park Power, I spent some years in the solar industry and still consider myself a solar advocate. With Park Power, I have always tried to provide some extra value for our Micro-Generator customers but the past few years of offering our Solar Club Loyalty program has proved to be of great value for Albertans with solar pv systems. I hope that Park Power’s reputation as a positive and solar friendly energy provider will continue to grow.

Consumer education matters. There are many Albertans who do not understand the choices they have for their electricity and natural gas service. I have had many conversations educating consumers about the structure of the Alberta utilities markets and the energy options available to them. We often talk about how switching providers will not affect the delivery of power and gas to their homes or businesses. These efforts are bolstered by the Utilities Consumer Advocate who is trying their best to educate more consumers in Alberta and I am glad for the work they do. We just want consumers to understand there are many retail options available and Park Power offers an awesome choice.

It is amazing how fast these 6 years in business have gone by. I have learned many lessons along the way but have still enjoyed the process to get me here. I am so thankful to all of the customers who have chosen Park Power over the years for their electricity and natural gas supply. Your support means that we can continue to compete against the big utilities while still giving back to our community in meaningful ways.

See You at the Keep It Local Marketplace this Fall

· · Leave a Comment Community Building, Consumer Info, Electricity, Interesting

Do you want to eat, shop, and connect with local businesses in our community? Want to get a head start on Christmas shopping?

Don’t miss the Keep It Local Marketplace at Sherwood Park!

 

Keep It Local Marketplace is a variety of unique vendors, stage entertainment, and good food, and Park Power is a proud Gold Sponsor of this event on November 4th.

 

The Keep It Local Marketplace will feature more than 60 vendors showcasing local business and community resources – including family and parenting related items, jewelry, fashion and home products, and specialized services that we are always on the lookout for!

 

Bring the whole family! Sunshine Generation, a performing group that teaches song and dance to children ages 3 and up, will perform TWICE on our stage at Local Love. You do not want to miss watching these talented performers with your kids!

 

And there will also be a performance by Keltie Monaghan, the 16 year old a singer/songwriter with a unique voice who received a prestigious Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for her first single “Someone Tell Her” in 2016 when she was just 15!

 

Some of your favorite local food vendors like Fuge Fine Meats, Mona’s Kitchen, Steeped Tea, Juice Plus, Choco-liscious, Maza Foods, and Epicure  will also be there!

 

Want to Promote Your Local Business?

 

Vendor registration is still open. Here’s your chance to connect with the community. Click here to apply for the Fall Market.

 

Keep it Local project Trivia

 

While searching for performance venues for her kids, Jenni discovered that Sherwood Park didn’t have a focused event that connected the community to local businesses. With so many great local businesses and agencies in the area, it was an easy decision for Jenni to create an event that would build these connections and support the community.

 

Make sure you don’t miss this fall event! See you on Saturday, November 4, 2017 – 10am to 4pm at in the Agora at the Sherwood Park Community Centre (401 Festival Lane).

 

The best part? Admission is FREE!

 

Park Power Sponsors Saffron Centre Consent Event Walk & Fun Run

· · Leave a Comment Community Building, Consumer Info, Interesting

Park Power is very proud to be a sponsor of the Saffron Centre Consent Event Walk & Fun Run 2017.

Happening Saturday May 27, 2017 at Broadmoor Lake in Sherwood Park, this event is an annual fundraiser that supports the Saffron Centre in their mission of working to support the healing and empowerment of those who have been affected by sexual assault, abuse and sexual violence; and to promote change in attitudes, beliefs and social norms surrounding this issue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With May being Sexual Violence Awareness Month the Consent Event is a great opportunity to come out and show your community that you care.  To show that you want to make a difference in the lives of those affected by sexual assault and violence.  Please come out and join Park Power to support this great organization.

 

https://youtu.be/GlEPvnkWy24