Active Towns
Jan. 24th, 2021 08:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithActive Towns is an organization devoted to creating communities that encourage a vigorous physical lifestyle. They focus both on the culture of activity and the physical infrastructure that supports it. They emphasize inclusivity, not just accessibility.
This article touches on what it would take to make the big jump from activity as a side option to activity as the norm. A key need is infrastructure, such as walkable/bikeable streets.
Other improvements I would suggest:
Ensure inclusivity. Pedicabs offer a convenient way to get around for people with limited mobility. For citizens with travel issues, provide free and flexible transportation so they can reach things like seated yoga classes. Offer disability-friendly cycles such as adult tricycles, quadcycles, and tandem bicycles at the local bicycle shop; subsidize the prices if necessary. Chirping crosswalks are convenient for vision-impaired pedestrians. Dog facilities are important to people with service dogs, and helpful to some other service animals. Make sure there are inclusive playgrounds, and include exercise equipment suited for people with disabilities, like a roll-under jungle gym. Put in a texture path that can be traversed by various means. Provide plentiful seating. Skateable benches provide both seating and an opportunity for play when not occupied. Connect the dots so that it is easy to walk, roll, or bike from one disability-friendly attraction in town to another.
Remove barriers to activity. Take down fences that block access to trees, waterways, or other interesting features to explore. Cull laws that penalize skateboarding, biking, climbing, and other exercise in public areas. Stop demanding that people pay extra money for a doctor's permission to exercise and respect their right to make their own health choices. They can always choose to consult a doctor if they wish -- and more of them will do so if that is a free visit.
Require businesses to support employee and guest activity. Create a stairstepped program based on size, so that employer obligations increase along with business size. Above a certain point, they should have to do things like:
* When planning sit-down events such as conferences, schedule activity sessions along with seated ones.
* Host active events, such as charity-a-thons, nature volunteering, or wilderness teambuilding programs.
* Present occasional workshops on yoga, aerobics, dance, and other activities.
* Offer ongoing classes or clubs in activities, including things like hiking or biking outside of work.
* Provide mixed parking with space for bicycles, skateboards, and other human-powered vehicles.
* Install a changing facility with lockers and showers for employees or guests who travel by human-power.
* Offer a discounted or free gym membership, preferably with diverse options. Network with other local businesses who provide classes and/or equipment.
* Provide a company gym free to all employees and guests. Include punching bags and treadmills; suggest that people use these to work off frustration, anger, or anxiety as a means to shift out of fight-or-flight mode.
* Give a discount to customers who arrived by human-power or mass-transit.
* Large buildings such as malls should mark walking paths with distances (e.g. blue .5 mile, green 1 mile) and host a walking club.
* All jobs that require physical fitness (e.g. police, construction workers) should include workout time on the clock. Not only does it improve fitness, it also supports teamwork.
Become a bike-friendly city. Look at what encourages biking. Work to improve the rating by adding more features to support biking.
Develop mixed-use paths. Make sure that these connect important parts of town and run along scenic areas such as large parks or waterways. A mixed-use path is typically 8-12 feet wide, paved, and relatively flat. It is comfortable for a wide range of activities such as walking, biking, skateboarding, rollerblading, strollers, wheelchairs, horseback riding, sidewalk chart, and pavement games. The widest ones have room for stalls as well as travelers, so you can spread a farmer's market or craft fair along one side. Some areas have made excellent use of defunct rail lines by converting them to long-distance trails.
Support integrated transit. The motor vehicle routes need to connect with human-powered routes. So bus and train stations, along with large car parking facilities, need to provide racks for bicycles, skateboards, and other human-powered vehicles. Changing facilities at transit hubs would be ideal.
Encourage small-scale public transportation. Things like shuttlebuses increase access to activities. If a place that gives classes, such as a garden center, has a van that can pick up interested customers who don't drive, then more people can attend. A walking bus makes it possible for children to get around more, and it's vital to establish the habit of walking at a young age.
Furnish parks with exercise equipment for all ages and ability levels. Many types of exercise equipment are suited even for pocket parks. Install a skate dot.
https://fitness.playcore.com/exercises/
https://adventureplaysystems.com/product/categories/outdoor-fitness-equipment/
https://www.generalrecreationinc.com/outdoor-fitness-equipment/
https://www.playgroundequipment.com/products/fitness/
https://www.bciburke.com/our-products/category/fitness-playgrounds
https://www.outdoor-fitness.com/equipment/senior%20packages.html
https://www.aaastateofplay.com/fitness-equipment/
https://www.aaastateofplay.com/kids-fitness/
https://www.aaastateofplay.com/handicap-accessible/
https://playequip.com/outdoor-playground-equipment/
https://www.habitat-systems.com/product-type/natural-playgrounds-equipment/
https://gfoutdoorfitness.com/accessible-products-page/
https://www.gametime.com/products/outdoor-fitness-equipment/accessible-fitness
https://www.stilum.com/en/produkte/calisthenics/
https://www.kengurupro.us/
https://store.americanparkour.com/collections/parkour-equipment
https://parkourvisions.org/design
Encourage a playful approach. Piano stairs entice people to play on them; watch a video. Make a texture trail for feet or wheels. A sensory trail engages all the senses. Install skate dots and skateable / climbable sculptures.
This is a great way to make your home town more like Bluehill.
This article touches on what it would take to make the big jump from activity as a side option to activity as the norm. A key need is infrastructure, such as walkable/bikeable streets.
Other improvements I would suggest:
Ensure inclusivity. Pedicabs offer a convenient way to get around for people with limited mobility. For citizens with travel issues, provide free and flexible transportation so they can reach things like seated yoga classes. Offer disability-friendly cycles such as adult tricycles, quadcycles, and tandem bicycles at the local bicycle shop; subsidize the prices if necessary. Chirping crosswalks are convenient for vision-impaired pedestrians. Dog facilities are important to people with service dogs, and helpful to some other service animals. Make sure there are inclusive playgrounds, and include exercise equipment suited for people with disabilities, like a roll-under jungle gym. Put in a texture path that can be traversed by various means. Provide plentiful seating. Skateable benches provide both seating and an opportunity for play when not occupied. Connect the dots so that it is easy to walk, roll, or bike from one disability-friendly attraction in town to another.
Remove barriers to activity. Take down fences that block access to trees, waterways, or other interesting features to explore. Cull laws that penalize skateboarding, biking, climbing, and other exercise in public areas. Stop demanding that people pay extra money for a doctor's permission to exercise and respect their right to make their own health choices. They can always choose to consult a doctor if they wish -- and more of them will do so if that is a free visit.
Require businesses to support employee and guest activity. Create a stairstepped program based on size, so that employer obligations increase along with business size. Above a certain point, they should have to do things like:
* When planning sit-down events such as conferences, schedule activity sessions along with seated ones.
* Host active events, such as charity-a-thons, nature volunteering, or wilderness teambuilding programs.
* Present occasional workshops on yoga, aerobics, dance, and other activities.
* Offer ongoing classes or clubs in activities, including things like hiking or biking outside of work.
* Provide mixed parking with space for bicycles, skateboards, and other human-powered vehicles.
* Install a changing facility with lockers and showers for employees or guests who travel by human-power.
* Offer a discounted or free gym membership, preferably with diverse options. Network with other local businesses who provide classes and/or equipment.
* Provide a company gym free to all employees and guests. Include punching bags and treadmills; suggest that people use these to work off frustration, anger, or anxiety as a means to shift out of fight-or-flight mode.
* Give a discount to customers who arrived by human-power or mass-transit.
* Large buildings such as malls should mark walking paths with distances (e.g. blue .5 mile, green 1 mile) and host a walking club.
* All jobs that require physical fitness (e.g. police, construction workers) should include workout time on the clock. Not only does it improve fitness, it also supports teamwork.
Become a bike-friendly city. Look at what encourages biking. Work to improve the rating by adding more features to support biking.
Develop mixed-use paths. Make sure that these connect important parts of town and run along scenic areas such as large parks or waterways. A mixed-use path is typically 8-12 feet wide, paved, and relatively flat. It is comfortable for a wide range of activities such as walking, biking, skateboarding, rollerblading, strollers, wheelchairs, horseback riding, sidewalk chart, and pavement games. The widest ones have room for stalls as well as travelers, so you can spread a farmer's market or craft fair along one side. Some areas have made excellent use of defunct rail lines by converting them to long-distance trails.
Support integrated transit. The motor vehicle routes need to connect with human-powered routes. So bus and train stations, along with large car parking facilities, need to provide racks for bicycles, skateboards, and other human-powered vehicles. Changing facilities at transit hubs would be ideal.
Encourage small-scale public transportation. Things like shuttlebuses increase access to activities. If a place that gives classes, such as a garden center, has a van that can pick up interested customers who don't drive, then more people can attend. A walking bus makes it possible for children to get around more, and it's vital to establish the habit of walking at a young age.
Furnish parks with exercise equipment for all ages and ability levels. Many types of exercise equipment are suited even for pocket parks. Install a skate dot.
https://fitness.playcore.com/exercises/
https://adventureplaysystems.com/product/categories/outdoor-fitness-equipment/
https://www.generalrecreationinc.com/outdoor-fitness-equipment/
https://www.playgroundequipment.com/products/fitness/
https://www.bciburke.com/our-products/category/fitness-playgrounds
https://www.outdoor-fitness.com/equipment/senior%20packages.html
https://www.aaastateofplay.com/fitness-equipment/
https://www.aaastateofplay.com/kids-fitness/
https://www.aaastateofplay.com/handicap-accessible/
https://playequip.com/outdoor-playground-equipment/
https://www.habitat-systems.com/product-type/natural-playgrounds-equipment/
https://gfoutdoorfitness.com/accessible-products-page/
https://www.gametime.com/products/outdoor-fitness-equipment/accessible-fitness
https://www.stilum.com/en/produkte/calisthenics/
https://www.kengurupro.us/
https://store.americanparkour.com/collections/parkour-equipment
https://parkourvisions.org/design
Encourage a playful approach. Piano stairs entice people to play on them; watch a video. Make a texture trail for feet or wheels. A sensory trail engages all the senses. Install skate dots and skateable / climbable sculptures.
This is a great way to make your home town more like Bluehill.
