Morrisville Active Kids Strategic Plan

Active Kids Strategic Plan

students. In a span of only five years from 6th grade to 11th grade, the percentage of youth not getting the recommended time for physical activity per week nearly doubles. When a focus group of middle school students attending Morrisville’s Camp Cedar Fork in July 2016 were asked about their opportunities for activity, they gave some clear indicators as to why this dramatic drop-off occurs. They cited:  Fewer programs and organized sports teams as children age out of elementary school;  A lack of facilities within parks and along greenways that are conducive to more physical activity by middle and high school age children; and  Concern about opportunities for females, such as organized sports leagues, when they age out of programs geared towards elementary school age children. What we didn’t hear about were concerns over healthcare or other medical services. Yet adults tend to fixate on access to care as part of our state and national conversation about health. The graphic at right illustrates the imbalance we have as a nation in investing in health-related initiatives. While much of our expenditures go to medical services, those services are not the main driver of what makes us healthy. Healthy behaviors and a healthy environment account for 70% of the influence. These can be addressed through a strengthening of support for implementing projects to promote more active lifestyles for children in Morrisville.

What We Know: Healthy Expenditures

Source: Lots to Lose: How America’s Health and Obe- sity Crisis Threatens our Economic Future (2012) Linking health-related investment to recreation, walkability, and bicycling helps communities correct the imbalance in what we spend on being healthy versus what makes us healthy.

With a growing population and an increase in development, Morrisville residents are faced with increased traffic, crowded drop-off zones at schools, and a need for increased physical activity. However, existing infrastructure investments present an unrealized opportunity for residents to further utilize the existing pedestrian, bicycle, and park infrastructure while continuing to make necessary improvements so that more residents are able to enjoy expanded transportation choices and recreational options. As these networks become more developed, the Town needs community support and expert guidance for how to increase accessibility and use of this infrastructure. The final policy directions outlined in this Active Kids Strategic Plan focus on coordinating with the upcoming Comprehensive Transportation Plan update and Parks and Recreation Master Plan update, as well as other decisions related to plans, programs, and policies for the next one to five years that:  Identify and engage new and existing partners;  Inform investment decisions in parks and recreation facilities; and  Influence the design of transportation facilities led by the Town or North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) so that they safely accommodate the area’s youth population.

April 25, 2017

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