Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 04/14/2011

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Park and Recreation Commission Item #: 5. 1. Date: 04/14/2011 By: Mark Riverblood Engineering /Public Works Information Title: Review Collaborative between Ramsey and County on `Go -Anoka County.' Background: The purpose of this case is to review one aspect of the Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP); which is the Go Anoka County collaborative that Ramsey and most other municipalities and townships participated in. Anoka County SHIP is a part of Minnesota's SHIP, an integral part of a 2008 legislative health reform law, which strives to help residents lead longer, healthier lives by preventing the chronic disease risk factors of poor nutrition and physical inactivity. SHIP `interventions' seek to create sustainable, systemic changes in schools, work - sites, communities, and health care organizations that make it easier for Anoka County residents to incorporate healthy behaviors into their daily lives. Funds are used to implement policies and practices that create active communities by increasing opportunities for non - motorized transportation (walking and biking) and access to community recreation facilities. A heavy SHIP emphasis is placed on education and promotion because those serve as the conduit to community knowledge about City amenities, and the intention that healthy activities then become a habit of active living. Observations: The intended goal for Go Anoka County is to be an "on -line resource filled with information that identifies opportunities to engage in physical activity; such as biking or walking for transportation, exercising for pleasure, playing in the park, and finding public recreation opportunities and facilities." With the overarching goal to: • Increase awareness of public parks and recreational facilities. • Promote access and make it convenient for people to find places to be physically active. • Encourage walking and biking. The address for this on -line resource is: http://www.goanokacounty.org/ Staff will highlight the features and functions of the site at the meeting, and Commissioners are also encouraged to investigate it in advance of the meeting. Funding Source: Funding for this project was provided by a SHIP grant from Anoka County to the City of Ramsey in the fall of 2010.