COMMUNITY ACTIVITY ENVIRONMENT
ENACT STRATEGY: Safe Communities
Promote overall community aesthetic and atmosphere of safety to encourage outdoor physical activity and recreation
In order to encourage physical activity and the use of outdoor recreation areas, outdoor environments need to be pleasant and safe. Community safety efforts can reduce barriers to outdoor activity through monitoring or patrolling programs, including resident-led Neighborhood Watch programs or by city officials such as police officers. Additionally, community events or activities, such as street fairs and walking clubs, can promote a sense of ownership and increase the number of "eyes on the street." Aesthetic improvements to the community atmosphere can encourage the use of outdoor recreation areas by creating a more appealing and inviting environment. Vacant lots, often filled with overgrown weeds and garbage, can discourage walking by lowering people’s sense of safety. However, these open spaces can be utilized to a communities benefit. When transformed into parks, playgrounds, playing fields or community gardens, vacant lots can encourage active recreation, play and even promote healthy eating. These enhancements can be as simple as providing trash bins or planting flowers. Other efforts such as community clean-up days combine the two concepts of safety and aesthetics by allowing community members to become a visible force in the community as well as making immediate improvements. Together, these two efforts can enrich a community’s atmosphere and encourage outdoor physical activity.
Characteristics of aesthetically pleasing and safe community atmospheres:
- Presence of art and absence of graffiti
- Presence of pleasant and clean trash receptacles and absence of litter
- Presence of community spaces such gardens, parks, or places to display local art and absence of blight.
- Presence of a Neighborhood Watch program or a Community Walking Club
and....
- Functioning street lamps that provide a constant level of pleasant light throughout the night
- Well-lit streets, parks, and recreation areas minimizing bright and dark patches
- Well pruned trees and bushes to maximize visibility and foster positive social interaction
- Police or security patrol of streets, parks, and recreation areas
Land Use Planning for Safe, Crime Free Neighborhoods (PDF)
Created by the Local Government Commission, this fact sheet “contains
helpful resources and concepts for fostering a sense of community and safe neighborhoods“ through land use
design.
Crime Prevention through Environmental Design
CPTED aims to improve the quality of life by decreasing the incidence and fear of crime. CPTED strategies are based on the premise that proper design and effective use of the physical environment can achieve a safer, more livable community. These principles can be applied easily and inexpensively, and have been adopted by communities across the country.
The Community Change Chronicles
Distributed by Eat Smart, Move More…North Carolina, this newsletter shares community success stories of improvements made to the local food and activity environments.
- ‘Path Markers to Help Increase Physical Activity and Revitalize Downtown Area of Elkin’ (PDF)
- ‘Trail Development Spreads To Washington County’ (PDF)
Peaceful Playgrounds
Developed as a practical tool kit for making playgrounds safer and more activity-friendly, the materials available from Peaceful Playgrounds describe ways to layout playgrounds to encourage safety and active play.
Escondido, CA Allows public use of private vacant lots for community purposes including: gardens, recreational space, or temporary public art displays.
Major Retail Development - Dark Store Ordinance
Vacant shopping centers, big-box stores, and malls can remain empty for many years, causing blight. The "Dark Store" Ordinance from Oakdale, CA requires retail developers to set aside money which can be used by the city to demolish the structure and maintain the site should the store or shopping center become vacant.
in the ENACT Local Policy Database
Local Government Commission
“The Local Government Commission (LGC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, membership organization that provides inspiration, technical assistance, and networking to local elected officials and other dedicated community leaders who are working to create healthy, walkable, and resource-efficient communities.”
Perceived Neighborhood Safety is a strong Predictor of Physical Activity Among Austin Residents
This report indicates that residents who feel unsafe in their community are less likely to participate in leisure-time physical activity. It suggests that interventions which improve safety and perceptions of safety, in addition to physical improvements (e.g., sidewalks, street lighting, parks, and beautification) may increase individual physical activity behavior.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Perceptions of neighborhood characteristics and leisure-time physical inactivity - Austin/Travis County, Texas, 2004. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2005 Sep 23; 54 (37): 926-8.
Community Safety Impacts Physical Activity in Youth**
This study suggests that reduced physical activity among youth may be influenced by unsafe communities. Community interventions that increase safety and reduce disorder may lead to increased physical activity, thereby reducing risk of overweight and cardiovascular disease.
Molnar, B.E., Gortmaker, S.L., Bull, F.C., and Buka, S.L. Unsafe to play? Neighborhood disorder and lack of safety predict reduced physical activity among urban children and adolescents. Am J Health Promotion. 2004 May/Jun; 18 (5): 378-86.
** We can only provide links to the article abstracts and not the full text.