The American Academy of Pediatrics is out with a policy statement in support of a built environment that provides children the opportunity for adequate levels of physical activity. Here’s the abstract: An estimated 32% of American children are overweight, and physical inactivity contributes to this high prevalence of overweight. This policy statement highlights how the [...]
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The New York City Department of Transportation is undertaking an experiment to close parts of Broadway that traverse Times Square, and started this on Memorial Day. So far, lots of people out on the new public spaces and no significant traffic problems. (See article and video) For cities looking to create more space for the [...]
Filed under: planning, transportation | Tagged: new york city, streets | 1 Comment »
An article in the Montreal Gazette covers the relationship of neighborhood design and physical activity and makes an important note on parks: It isn’t just the importance we place on the car that sets us up for unwanted weight gain. Most modern neighbourhoods discourage outdoor play. Small neighbourhood parks have been replaced with large community [...]
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This year a newly authorized transportation bill could include more attention to transit and other forms of transportation such as walking and biking. This could mean more resources for urban trails, bike facilities and the like. Elana Schor at Streetsblog.org gives a good rundown of the process by which a new transportation bill will go [...]
Filed under: funding, transportation | Tagged: federal policy | Leave a Comment »
Toledo, Ohio budget situation dire, Mayor asking residents to mow grass in parks, volunteers own time – NPR blog post and radio story (including interview with Mayor). Cleveland envisions a public-space oriented waterfront. (Plain-Dealer) The Times wonders about Car-less Suburbs Coming to America — a Bicycle City seems to be in the works already. Tussle [...]
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City officials across the country are now determining which projects to fund under the Community Development Block Grant portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). If they meet certain standards established under ARRA, park projects are eligible to receive funding but will need to be placed on a list by local officials. According [...]
Filed under: funding, stimulus funds | Tagged: cdbg, federal policy | Leave a Comment »
The modern parks movement is “absolutely critical” to the happiness of people with “more compact lifestyles”— who live in cities, says award winning author and columnist Neal Pierce, the honored speaker for TPL’s April 29th Stegner Circle event, hosted by Peter Harnik, TPL director of the Center for City Park Excellence. “There’s more conscious thought [...]
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After a controversial redesign and renovation of famous Washington Square Park in Manhattan, the space is once again open to the public. The New York Daily News does a story and accompanying video of the re-opening, and about the changes.
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Join us if you can for a webcast tomorrow, sponsored by LISC. 2008-2009 State Policy Webcast Series: Sustainable Places, Smart Neighborhoods Latest Trends in Rebuilding Vibrant Places Sustainable Neighborhoods: Parks, Gathering Spaces and Public Places The word is out! People want to live in places where they can re-create, find beauty, enjoy family activities, improve [...]
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We’ve mentioned the National Wildlife Federaton’s Green Hour before. An initiative in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Audubon Center is effectively incorporating this into school curriculum through a program that gets local students out of the indoor classroom and into the big, outdoor classroom of Prospect Park. Early results suggest the program is a success, as students’ [...]
Filed under: facilities, partnerships, programming | Tagged: Brooklyn | 1 Comment »
