13. Healthy Places: Arvada’s Accomplishments
• 125 healthy programs, events & activities
• 6 Active Living Community Mini-Grants
• 150 Pedestrian Focused Way Finding Signs
• 75 Community-Led Bike Rides & Walks
• 59 New Bike Racks & 2 Bike Corrals
• $3M Leveraged to Further Improve the
Community
• 2 Retrofitted & Activated Parks
• Gold Strike Pedestrian Connection Improved
48. Rose Chavez, Healthy Places Coordinator
Jessica Prosser, Assistant to the City Manager
Wesley Dismore, Bike/Pedestrian
Coordinator
Sarah Washburn, Senior Landscape Architect
Harry Johnson, Senior Landscape Architect
Kevin Nichols, Neigh. Engagement
Coordinator
Editor's Notes
Arvada’s Healthy Places story began in 2012… (pause)
RTD confirmed that in 2016 the G-line would open in Arvada
G Line commuter rail connects residents from Denver Union Station to Wheat ridge
With 3 neigh based commuter rail stations in Arvada
At this point… realized Arvada didn’t have infras. to help residents to walk/bike to 3 G Line stations
Enter… the Healthy Places opportunity from TCHF
We saw Healthy Places as an oppor to provide our residents with infra and prog supports for those last mile connections.
This also meant residents would use active transportation and ↑PA
Transition: Now, let me tell you now how far we have come since 2013
Integrate and Pause throughout slidedeck/outline
Map COA. Bottom left, Target area of HPI is SE Arvada
City Councilman Mark McGoff’s district is located in this location
Mark has been tireless Champion of the HPI last 3 years
Can you wave you hand Mark? Thank you for your support!
Area was selected b/c:
No public rec center creating barriers to PA – trans. and afford.
Low income census tracts
↑ racial diversity including Hispanics and E. Europeans
Park ½ mile of every neighborhood
3 Commuter rail stations
23,000 residents call this portion of Arvada home
Transition: Let’s drill down in more detail of SE Arvada
Notice 5 circles: include 2 neigh parks and the 3 G line commuter rail stations
5 focus area target of the $1M invest from TCHF
5 focus areas were selected by a resident led stakeholder committee
Includes partners from schools, churches, City staff, business owners and non-profit
Transition: Since 23,000 residents live here we asked ourselves how we would engage all these residents?
Here are a few examples of how we communicated with residents.
Residents indicated most meaningful included
flyering door to door
Yard signs in parks
Social media
Transition: Next I’ll share about the community led process
Hired residents advocates as Community Connectors
Megan on left went out to street festivals
Mike who is Russian speaking went to church gatherings
They surveyed community members about infra/programming
Makes it easier to walk/bike/be active
We learned that…
Incentivizing partici with refreshments and fun was REALLY important to get folks talking
Jill is a resident who we met at one of the weekly Farmer’s Mkts
She gave some great insight
And… enjoyed making a pedal powered smoothie as well!!!
Community connectors also attended:
Bike Rodeos
And PTA mtgs
They also visited neighborhood parks
Go to where people were already gathered
Hold mtgs in evening/weekends
Proivde food, translation and day care
Address barriers to participation
Working class residents and families
TRANSITION: Community led process gave us clear priorities
Let’s now see what accomplishments resulted during first 2 years
In numbers the investment resulted in these accomplishments
Generally I’ve group them into 4 buckets:
Bike Facilities/Programming
Active Living Programming
Pedestrian Infra/Programming
Activating Neighborhood Parks
We will start with bike facilities and programming first
Year 1 quick win: bike racks
Parks, Trails, Olde Town and City Hall
Bikes are locked to racks now instead of trees
Keeps sidewalks open for pedestrians, wheel chairs and baby strollers
Bike corral in Olde Town
In front of community square and brew pub
Parking for 12 bikes vs. 1 car
Relieves congestion
Encourages active transportation
G Line
Farmers Mkt
Businesses
5 bike repair station
Placed in parks & along trails
Residents quick tune up
On way home
Or commute to Denver/Golden
Residents from Bicycle Friendly Arvada helped activate new infra
New themed rides
Rides family and cruiser friendly
R2R residents navigate regional trail Arvada to Denver
Sustainability tour, eco-sites like com. gardens, recycling centers and bicycle corridor
Hot Chocolate Ride: Recent ride resident excited about new fitness equip.
Bring back family to try out
Thur HPI we partnered 2 new businesses
Expand # stations to incentive resident BTW
Transition: Next let talk about Active Living grants
Year 2, $20K in Active Living Mini Grants
YMCA, KOOT, Foster Elem & Arvada resident
Ex: Birding Rambles, Scopes and Binoculars
Ex: SAYS… Debbie Shirley/German Zerate
Grant: jerseys, soccer goals, permit fees
Free prog 180 students from 6 Title I schools
Addresses barriers $ and transportation
5 routes ID in 5 circle begin of pres
Support walk/bike to G Line and 2 parks
Routes signed with kiosk here on left
And way finding signs
Wayfinding # minute to destinations
Parks/G Line station
Mary Ann excited about signs
Leads neigh walk to spread
News with Neighbors
5 residents now lead walk in target area
1 STSP walk on Tues from Coffee House
Residents/Visitors monitor progress G Line
Arvada P2P came out of the HPI
A Couch 2 5K program
Training/Incentives
Residents to participate
Transition: Next we will touch on Park Activations
This included 2 neigh parks
Homestead
Terrace
Chance to meet Counciil Strategic Goal
To have more connected neighborhoods
Empower resident leaders to work with the City
7 acre park
Single family/1950
½ mile from G=Line
Note Amenities
Residents use yard signs get work out about HPI
Advocate to design a park for residents with disabilities
After 2.5 yr process ribbon cutting
After 6 mo grass hill → Terrace seating
Space to gather for to watch soccer game
Join together for blk party
Jessica D. neigh leader and mom
Loves the new kiosk
Can get word out about
Park Programming
Lost pets
Next block party
Park maitenance
Resident say “Easy” to be active
FREE YMCA programming
Fitness equip
W 60th ave is a key ped connec
From Homestead to Gold Strike
Safely walk on new 8 ft wide sidewalks
Summary:
Residents love improv
Excited to continueing meeting
Note amenities prioritized
9 acre park
Section 8 multi-family housing
½ mile from Olde Town station
Arvada ridge station
Meetings:
At Park
Head Start
Nearby Church
After 2.5 yrs of planning
Ribbon cutting
Improv. In park
Surrounding apts.
No benches or lighting before park redesign
Maria elderly resident now enjoys the park
Feels safer/can take period breaks
Lots of excitement for dog park
Lots of enthusiasm getting active with pets
Formed Terrace Park Ambassador group
Barbara and son – met this past Saturday
Enjoying Intergenerational Fitness Zone
Summary: Residents are now mobilized working with the City
Enjoying new amenities/program
Transition: At the begin of presentation purpose of Arvada HPI
Help residents walk, bike and be active
So.. We’ve been busy.. Yet.. That’s not all…
Drum Roll….
Culminating achieve of HPI
Open of 3 G Line stations
So 3 years have passed quickly
We hope to celebrate with station parties
In Dec or soon after
Providing FREE transit passes to residents
Connect residents with bike/ped resources
Finally, let’s talk about the future of a Healthy Arvada
Residents weighed in on 3 policy doc
In 2014, integrated Health into the Comp Plan
In 2015 wellness in the Parks, Trails, and Open space Master Plan
And in 2016 Bike Master Plan
Wayfinding signage
Low stress networks
Expanded prog for low income pop and women
But this is not the end
Work will continue
Leveraged HPI $
These grants
COA would like to thank TCHF
Making this work possible
Look fwd to our next opp to partner
Quickly, Before we move on I’d like to ackn my esteemed peers from…
The work was overseen by Jessica Prosser, assistant to City Manager
To you all, thank you… what a pleasure it has been, GN
