EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HEALTH & WELL-BEING
IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES IN FORT COLLINS, COLORADO
2017 COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY WORKSHOP Daniela Ornelas, Jen Platero & Hayden Webb COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
Equitable Access to Health & Well-Being In Undeserved Communities in Fort Collins, Colorado
Prepared By: Daniela Ornelas Jen Platero Hayden Webb 2017 Community Sustainability Workshop Prepared For: Ryan Mounce Meaghan Overton Planning Department, City of Fort Collins
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CONTENTS
SECTION 1 executive summary purpose/Introduction Project objectives overview
3 4 5 6
SECTION 2 Background of parks and natural areas background of food access Neighborhood Evaluation process
7 8 9
SECTION 3 Current conditions in alta vista community surveys implementation into neighborhoods
10 11 12
SECTION 4 Alternative Solutions Suggested course of action conclusion works cited appendix (I, II, III)
13 18 19 20 22
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Health and well-being are essential within a community. A healthy city is a happy city. The City of Fort Collins is already known as an extremely active and involved community within the healthy lifestyle spectrum. However, as a city grows, some neighborhoods may be left behind. As part of this project, the team worked closely with their clients, Ryan Mounce and Meaghan Overton with the City of Fort Collins in the Planning Department. They are responsible for the review of development proposals to ensure compliance with city codes and standards, helping to articulate and implement a shared community vision for the future. One of the clients’ goals is to be able to provide equitable access to a healthy lifestyle. The main focus of this project is to evaluate and ensure that parks/natural areas and healthy food are accessible to the Alta Vista neighborhood.
Some of the solutions that will be addressed through this report are associated with underdeveloped or often neglected areas and how to make health more accessible within those communities. This is not only important for the city’s development in general, but for neighborhoods that lack access to healthy food or recreational opportunities. Oftentimes, according to Designing Greenways, a book about parks within urban areas, “forgotten neighborhoods tend to be segregated by either race, class, or income” (Hellmund and Smith 8). Cities don’t often hear the requests from these areas because they are underrepresented and don’t have the political or financial power needed to create change. Neighborhoods with a healthoriented perspective are able to promote a long healthy lifestyle that can be passed on from generation to generation.
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PURPOSE/INTRODUCTION
In order to live a long and happy life, people need to have both access to healthy, fresh food and nearby natural areas. People that lack access to healthy food can have negative health effects physically, such as obesity, diabetes and associated problems. Typically, low-income communities are affected by food deserts and, according to food scientist Dave Weatherspoon, “food deserts are associated with lower quality diets and higher obesity rates. One hypothesis for their emergence is that retailers avoid food deserts because demand side factors such as low income limit demand for healthy foods” (Weatherspoon 1). (See Appendix I for a map of the food deserts in Fort Collins.)
Outdoor recreation can create life-long interest in the outdoors and help maintain an active, non-sedentary life. If one learns a skill at an early age, such as riding a bike, it is usually retained throughout life. Outdoor activities can better the community and support a healthy lifestyle. Effectively implementing parks and natural areas requires the involvement and collaboration of the residents within the area. It is through implementing this team’s proposed solutions that there would be a radical turn in these communities and in the city as a whole.
“Research has shown that outdoor exercise in nature can enhance emotional wellbeing and amplify the benefits of physical exercise.” As for parks, the residents of Fort Collins need to be able to get outside and explore. Outdoor activities promote physical, mental and spiritual health. According to the Environmental Health Perspectives, a federal government project of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, “in addition to myriad health benefits offered by physical activity in general, research has shown that outdoor exercise in nature can enhance emotional well-being and amplify the benefits of physical exercise. And for kids in particular, being in or near green spaces has been found to be associated with better test scores, improved self-discipline and cognition, and reduced behavioral problems and symptoms of attention -deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)” (Hinkle 1).
Parks and open areas are essential in the development of children.
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PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this project are to: •
Acquire knowledge about Alta Vista, a Fort Collins neighborhood, which currently lacks access to open areas, parks, and healthy food.
•
Provide multiple solutions for Fort Collins city planners to provide accessibility to parks/open areas and fresh, healthy food, evaluating their impact environmentally, economically and equitably.
•
Provide low income, minority neighborhoods with the same benefits as other neighborhoods with the goal of achieving equity.
•
Use the Alta Vista neighborhood as a case study for other neighborhoods that also lack access to healthy food or recreational opportunities.
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OVERVIEW
Within the City of Fort Collins, the neighborhood of Alta Vista (see map below) suffers from the lack of access to food and outdoor areas. The Fort Collins City Planning Department collaborated with the Colorado State University Sustainability Workshop to address these issues. Students from the CSU Workshop worked on an eight-week project to help provide the people within the neighborhood solutions for obtaining access to parks, transportation, and healthy food. According to the Fort Collins city planners Meaghan Overton and Ryan Mounce, the Alta Vista neighborhood is in a “food desert” and does not have any open areas within accessible range. This
area was deemed a “food desert” by the USDA standard that “food deserts are defined as parts of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas. This is largely due to a lack of grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and healthy food providers” (USDA 1). Typically, food deserts are neighborhoods that are more than a mile away from grocery stores. The closest open space is River's Edge Natural Space (as determined by Google Maps). River’s Edge Natural Space is 1.3 miles from Alta Vista. Community surveys were conducted to see what the residents within the community wanted.
The Alta Vista neighborhood is in a “food desert” and also lacks direct access to natural areas or other open spaces.
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BACKGROUND: PARKS AND NATURAL AREAS
Accessibility to parks and natural areas is a big factor when thinking about the health of the community. These spaces allow for the community to exercise, meditate and actively engage in a variety of activities at no cost. These spaces are really important to the people that access them, so they should be accessible to anyone in the community. It is impossible to have every member within a neighborhood agree on what needs to be fixed. Typically, there are many neighborhoods lacking accessibility to a wide range of resources. In the case of parks and natural areas, the residents of neighborhoods might be less active since they don’t have easy access to exercise at no cost. Not only do parks help health aspects but, according to the City Park Alliance, they are also cost effective. Since the City is always looking for ways to keep
their residents healthy, making parks more accessible is often a good investment. By having more parks available to more people, the community can access them anywhere and ultimately stay healthier. Kids benefit from having a park close to their homes because this is a safe environment for them to play and exercise. If kids do not have a safe space close to their homes, they may not have the same equitable development that other kids experience. This might also be linked to unhealthy habits, such as not exercising. Since many kids do not have this access, they instead sit down and watch television, play video games or any other type of sedentary activity. Lack of exercise could potentially affect their health and cause diseases linked to obesity, such as diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure.
"Parks may also generate “public� benefits to the whole community, such as alleviating traffic congestion, reducing air pollution, flood control, and wildlife habitat" (March.) 7
BACKGROUND: HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS
“Food deserts are associated with lower quality diets and higher obesity rates. One hypothesis for their emergence is that retailers avoid food deserts because demand side factors such as low income limit demand for healthy foods� (Stice 1)
"Access to healthy food can bring triple bottom-line benefits to communities — better health, new jobs, and a revitalized economy." (Hinkle)
Just like park/natural area accessibility, healthy food accessibility is often overlooked. But it is an issue that many neighborhoods within a city struggle with, according to the Fort Collins City Planning Department. Healthy food access is very important in every community because it gives the community an opportunity to have a healthier lifestyle. For many minorities and low-income families living within the Alta Vista neighborhood, having access to healthy food is not very easy. They
have to travel a long distance to find fresh, affordable food. If they do not have this access, they are more prone to have obesity or any other disease linked to an unhealthy lifestyle. One of the goals for the City of Fort Collins Planning Department is to make healthy food accessible to all of its residents. In this project, solutions are presented to overcome the lack of accessibility and provide equity for the community.
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NEIGHBORHOOD EVALUATION PROCESS Alta Vista has accessibility issues. The primary reasons why this team decided to focus in this neighborhood is because it is in the food desert area of Fort Collins and because the park located in the neighborhood is not very useful for most residents. The process for this project is shown in the below chart. Initially, the team identified an issue within the city, looking for something that could be improved to give the residents a better quality of life. Next, they did background research on this issue and selected a neighborhood that fit the issue they were exploring. The team then did research and collected data about the neighborhood such as the number of residents, the percentage of public transportation usage, etc. (refer to Statistics/Data section). For the final steps, they analyzed this data and found potential solutions. They also evaluated possible implications that came with each solution and finally shared the information with the project clients and community.
Then, the project team visited the neighborhood and made note of the issues they have that interfere with accessibility. The Alta Vista neighborhood does not have any sidewalks, prohibiting residents’ ability to get to other parks and natural areas outside of the neighborhood by walking or biking. It must be noted that not every resident has access to a private vehicle, which makes it hard for some to access these outside resources. After taking a closer look at Alta Vista, the next step was to survey the residents. The team knocked door-to-door and asked ten questions in a survey they created (Appendix II). The questions were related to park/natural areas and accessibility to healthy food. Once the team had data, they developed solutions that could meet the needs of the residents. As a final step, this report was created for the clients with the intent of being used as a case study for other neighborhoods in similar situations.
A visual representation of the team’s neighborhood evaluation process 9
CURRENT CONDITIONS IN ALTA VISTA
Statistics/Data
household, whereas, the median household income for people living within downtown Fort Collins is $61,514” (Alta 1). This is approximately $10,000 more than the residents living within this neighborhood. According to city-data.com ,“28% of Fort Collins poverty level lives within this particular neighborhood” (Alta 1).
Students in the Community Sustainability workshop set out to understand the Alta Vista Neighborhood. This particular neighborhood sits on the outskirts of the Fort Collins community. “The road paths are
The road paths are narrow, there are no sidewalks, and they are old houses that have been built since 1995. Alta Vista narrow, there are no sidewalks, and they are old houses that have been built since 1995” (Dunn 1). In such a quiet and isolated neighborhood, the students determined that there was no bus access to the people living in this area. Although there were bus stops, they had been out of service since August of 2016. However, the people within this community had no idea whether people were actually using this form of transportation. For the most part, residents in this neighborhood managed to get around by cars or bikes without access to bike lanes. Alta Vista has a population of approximately 94 residents. Most of the residents living within this area have an “income of approximately $50,437 per
Map of Alta Vista neighborhood. Neighborhood requires accessibility to sidewalks, bus stops, and parks. 10
COMMUNITY SURVEYS
The project team surveyed residents neighborhood in a food desert, being more within the Alta Vista neighborhood to than a 15-minute walking distance. determine whether they were aware of the When asked “How often they go to food desert they were inhabiting, as well as the grocery store,” most responded with their sources of transportation, and their weekly. In total, 53% said they go to the accessibility to healthy food in local stores. grocery store weekly, which means they The data acquired from this survey comes need modes of transportation. Some from 15 members of the Alta Vista residents bike, others wait for family neighborhood. members to transport them with private Most of the vehicles. This means it questions in the is crucial for residents to Residents either have to walk survey were have access to various 1.6 miles to access the associated with transportation accessibility to systems. When asked healthy food or wait for grocery stores and how they get to the family members to transport mode of grocery store and which transportation. one they shop at, most Recently, the local Safeway 2.2 miles away residents responded with using private from the Alta Vista neighborhood was shut vehicles as the primary mode of down due to owner Eric Holsapple, “a transportation to King Soopers. principal with LC Real Estate in Loveland From this data, the team concluded rebuilding the area” (Stice 1). Holsapple that residents within this community only would like to rebuild another grocery store, have access to two forms of transportation, or perhaps “another retail tenant,” to take which is either through a private vehicle or up the space (Stice 1). When residents were biking. It’s difficult for those who don’t asked “On a scale of 1-5 (one being low have access to either form of concern, five being high concern) how transportation. They either have to walk 1.6 much has the recent Safeway closure miles to access healthy food or wait for negatively affected you?” The majority family members to transport them, which responded with a two, the reason being that could result in not accessing healthy food Safeway was not easily accessible for the for days or weeks. However, if residents residents in the Alta Vista neighborhood. were provided with bus transportation, they Therefore, the closing of this could potentially access healthy food Safeway didn’t impact residents due to the without needing to walk or depend on fact that most people shop at King Soopers. others. Now, however, Albertsons on Lemay has become a Safeway which is closer at 1.6 miles away, but still leaves the
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IMPLEMENTATION INTO NEIGHBORHOODS
Aside from lack of parks and fresh food fact that this neighborhood lacks sidewalks accessibility, the Alta Vista community has could potentially be dangerous for encountered other issues such as no pedestrians that are trying to get from one sidewalks, lack of a restroom in the small side of the street to the other. It can also be park, and dangerous for those in drainage the neighborhood who The fact that this neighborhood problems. ride bikes and are not lacks sidewalks could potentially be According to offered bike paths or at dangerous for pedestrians that are The the very least sidewalks. It is Coloradoan, trying to get from one side on the local residents essential for residents street to the other to not only be healthy, “worry [that adding] but feel safe in the environment in which they live. sidewalks would cause more problems than they would solve� (Duggan 1). Problems In neighborhoods such as Alta Vista, could include conflicts with construction in they have traffic and a train that passes by. the neighborhood. Construction would have The lack of sidewalks could be harmful to a huge impact on this area due to the narrow people and affect the health of individuals. streets and only two ways to enter and exit Although this is not the primary focus of this the neighborhood. project, it is important to acknowledge other However, there are other factors that should be taken into account towards helping this neighborhood become accessible to parks and healthy food. The
contributing factors towards the neighborhood that may potentially affect the project.
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ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
Public Transportation The Alta Vista neighborhood would greatly benefit from the availability of public transportation. They currently have two bus stops that are out of commission on Vine and 9th Avenue. Since they already have two bus stops built adjacent to the neighborhood, there would be no construction costs and the servicing costs would be minimal.
Evaluation of Potential Solution
By providing this route, the residents of Alta Vista will be able to get to the Downtown Transit Center, which provides them access to many other bus routes as well as other commodities Old Town has to offer.
The bus route that would best serve this neighborhood would be the #14, which runs once an hour from 6AM-7PM (Monday-Saturday). The route that it currently takes is east on Mulberry, to the I-25, then north to Vine street where it travels west, then goes south on Timberline and back to Mulberry. The route creates a square, doubling back on itself. According to maps on the Fort Collins Transportation website, the #14 services Mulberry twice and avoids the Alta Vista neighborhood as seen in the figure on the following page (the highlighted lime green route extending furthest east).
Economically - Consumers are able to spread their wealth to the community utilizing transportation throughout Fort Collins in order to give people easy access to these parks/natural areas and food options. Environmentally - Less environmentally friendly due to emissions, but Fort Collins’ many busses use compressed natural gas, or bio-diesel, which is more sustainable than gasoline/diesel. Equity - Anyone is able to use this transportation system. It’s bike and handicap accessible.
The project team’s suggestion is to have the route continue West on Vine, where it can provide a service to the bus stop that is already built and in good condition. By servicing this neighborhood, the bus would cross through one less intersection and avoid crossing the train tracks twice, effectively speeding up the route and improving safety.
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MAP OF BUS ROUTES IN FORT COLLINS
k Terr y L a
W Laurel St
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W a te rg le n D r
G re e n
M e rg a n
f ie
ld s
Dr
se r D r
S L ink L n
W e lc h
St B ro o kw o o d D
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Rigden Pkwy
Dr n ta in
Dr
od
Dr
ou rib Ca
HARMONY TRANSFER CENTER
Sn o
Mountain Crest
dD
s a Dr
Poudre Valley Hospital Harmony Campus
T i m b e rw o o
Preston MS Traut Core Knowledge
E Trilby Rd
14
C o r be tt D r
Fossil Ridge HS
Twin Silo Park
K e ch te r R d Radiant Park Zach Elem Kinard Core Knowledge MS
T ri lb
Bacon Elem
E
e e n s B lv e Gr d
E S ky w a y D r
Rock Creek Dr
Ln
u th rid g
Harmony Park
C inqu e fo il
D
le ek D r a t t cr e
Banner Fort Collins Medical Center
y Rd
S ha
llo
w
Po
nd
Dr
S C o unty R o a d 7
e Dr
Council Tree Library
TR Paul Academy
Lady Moon Dr
al
Front Range Village
Golden Meadows Park
Kruse Elem
and D r
Southridge Golf Course
K ing s le y D r
R e d Mou
wo
M c mu rry A v
e
g a Dr
B
a n Ave
a tt
f lo
St ar
English Ranch Park
Linton Elem
r
y Dr lo n
Co
Ma n h
wer D r
Fort Collins HS
ch
to n D r
C o ns titu
nd
25 25
tD r o n Stewart Case Park
Ziegler Rd
W in d mill D r
Dr
e ca S t
sas
S en
Kan
D unba r
a
Liberty Commons High School
Custer Dr
h ea
t io n A ve
S a rt
Dr
S tu
ew
Vi
Gr
Y o rks hire S t
it
Dr int
tD
P a rkla ke D r
lk
S Lemay Ave
wa
il
W Trilby Rd
e nl
wy
Tra
Pk
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Loveland Berthoud Longmont Boulder
Ke
So
Fossil Creek Park
287 Route Continues to:
Ave
Werner Elem
ek
Cre
Medical Facilities
Miramont Park
re
ssil
Museum
Other Landmark
Dr krid g e
r
Fo
School
Library
y
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Post Office
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a rd
SOUTH TRANSIT CENTER
LANDMARKS College/University
a le rs W a y
Oa
Bike - n - Ride
Municipal Building
Power Line Trail
Wh
McGraw Elem
Park - n - Ride
Lo
rd w
Bo
Trail
d
T icon d e r o
Boa
ss
Creek
o
Dr
Post Office
an Pkwy
E Troutm
Dr
Fossil
r
Larimer County Human Services - The Hub
N a n cy
Collindale G olf C ourse
Landings Park
H i ns d
in
W arren Park
Fo
Paved Bike/Pedestrian Path
Front Range Community College
nnia l R
Shephardson Elem
R idgeview Park
Cl
Transit Center
nte
E Horsetooth Rd
E Harmony Rd
Harmony Library
Dr are nd o n H i lls
Limited Service Bus Route
Dr
a lk
Webber MS
Police Services
Boltz MS
John F Kennedy Pkwy
Troutman Park
W T r tma n P kw y ou
W Harmony Rd
92
Ce
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Lopez Elem
High Frequency Bus Route
P a rk w o o
d
e on ro E M
Mason Trail
Westfield Park
Larimer County Sheriff
Verm Foothills Mall
Dr
R ich m o
Johnson Elem
l u m b ia R d
E Swallow R d
DMV
Beattie Park
E Prospect Rd
Liberty Commons Elem
Po
E Drake Rd
Leisure Park
Beattie Elem
Larimer County Detention Center
Larimer County Community Corrections
EPIC
Riffenburgh Elem
Ridgeview Classical School
5 Co
Stanford Rd
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Edora Community Park
S Lemay Ave
Rossborough Park
St
Spring Park
7 Mason Trail
W S w a llo w R d
Prospect Pkwy
O’Dea Elem
Woodwest Park
Rocky Mtn HS
Rivendell School
E Prospect Rd
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S to v e r S t
6
W a ba s h S t
Bus Route
Ave
S Timberline Rd
Colorado State University Vet School
S College Ave
Centre Av
Global Village Academy
2
St
E S tua rt Creek ing Indian Hills t Spr ail Eas Tr Park
Creek Side Park
e
Senior Center
W Horsetooth Rd
MAP LEGEND
Barton Early Childhood Center
M a the w s S t
Rolla n
oore Dr dM
R olland Moore Community Park
Olander Elem
EFFECTIVE 5/15/17
ide
Shar p
Gardens on Spring Creek
rt S Stua
Meadowlark Ave
Spring C anyon Community Park
25
mm
Lesher MS
287
ch ear Res lvd B
Cottonwood Glen Park
ers
Poudre Valley Hospital
W Lake St
e Av
14
East Poudre River Trail
Riv
Harris Bilingual Immersion
Bennett Elem
2
S Shields St
West Spring Creek Trail
R oselawn Cemetery
14 14
Eas t Side Park P e nno ck P l
E P it k in
W Drake Rd
Ct
E L a ure l S t
E Elizabeth St
Colorado State University
West Spring Creek Trail
Belvins MS
lla
Mid p
W
ne
Av e
Laurel Elem
CSU TRANSIT CENTER
t
S Taft Hill Rd
S Overland Trl W
Blevins Park
oln
E Mulberry St
Centennial HS
Bauder Elem
t
Do
inc
Su
W Prospect Rd
Olive St
n a tio n a l B lv d
S
Avery Park
Main Library
W Plum St
Constitution Ave
O verland Park
3
EL
E Mountain Ave
er
w Me
Lab and Polaris Schools
t
W
P o n d e ro s a Dr
10
Heritage Christian Academy
In t
Buckingham Park
nS
Whedbee St
Mulberry Pool Lincoln Center
rso
John Deere
Post Office and Social Security
Dunn Elem
W Elizabeth St
32
St Joseph School Larimer County Justice Center
Rabbit Brush Park
B ucking ha m S t ffe
S Meldrum St
Rogers Park
S Loomis Ave
City Park
W Mulberry St
Rampart Rd
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W Mountain Ave
City Park Nine G olf Course
E Vine Dr
Northside Aztlan Center
Je
S Mason St S Howes St
G randview Cemetery
N Timberline Rd
PSD Admin
Laporte Ave
Alta Vista Park
81
Catholic Charities
TRANSIT CENTER
City Hall
N Lemay Ave
Cherry St Putnam Elem
Poudre HS
CSU Foothills Campus
Museum of Discovery
DOWNTOWN TRANSIT CENTER DOWNTOWN
Freedom Square Park
Redwood St
Lee Martinez Community Park
e St
N Shields St
33
8
Legacy Park
Irish Elem
ub Rd
ALTA VISTA NEIGHBORHOOD
Conifer St
Food Bank for Larimer County
Jero m
N Taft Hill Rd
W Vine Dr
n tr y Cl
M o unta in Vista Dr Greenbriar Park
Blue Spruce Dr
H ic ko ry S t
9
Larimer County Human Services
N College Ave
N Overland Trl
Soft Gold Park
Lincoln MS
C ou
Tavelli Elem
E Willox Ln
W Willox Ln
West Poudre River Trail
Poudre Community Academy
eR
N
d
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ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS Bike Lane/Sidewalk
resisted the plan. The funding is available and the community would need to be surveyed to see if they would want sidewalks immediately outside of the neighborhood so it wouldn’t affect the interior street design currently in place.
Bike lanes and sidewalks are accessible for every resident: young/old/disabled.
Evaluation of this Potential Solution Improving the bike lanes and sidewalks immediately outside the Alta Vista community would be extremely beneficial. Since there are numerous bikers and walkers within the community, it is important that they have a safe path to get to their destination, whether it be to fresh food or access to outdoor recreation. Bike lanes and sidewalks are accessible for every resident: young/old/disabled.
Economically- While the construction costs may seem like a step backwards, road improvements would benefit the users and the city itself.
The current bike lane/sidewalk that is provided around the Alta Vista neighborhood is not sufficient as it is only one foot wide and absent in some areas. Adjacent to this bike lane is plenty of space for it to be expanded and useable. This would require construction and, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, “the cost of a five-foot bicycle lane can range from approximately $5,000 to $535,000 per mile, with an average cost around $130,000” (Pedestrian 1). The bike lane would only need to be expanded for a length of approximately 400 yards, which would reduce these numbers drastically.
Equity- Anyone would be able to use the bike lanes.
Environmentally- The construction that would take place could be harmful to the environment, but the usage would cut gas emissions over the years by residents being able to walk and ride bicycles.
The funding for building sidewalks in this neighborhood could come from a Fort Collins plan to revive older neighborhoods that have been neglected. This program is called the Neighborhood and Social Sustainability Services and has approved funding for this neighborhood. According to The Coloradoan, a recent funding approval took place to implement sidewalks inside of the neighborhood and “the project would cover about 1,100 feet and cost an estimated $82,000” (Duggan 1). But this was turned down by several members in the community who
As shown in the image above, the neighborhood has no sidewalks for pedestrians to walk which is highly risky for the residents' safety. 15
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
Adding Trails While the park within the Alta Vista neighborhood is sufficient for children (see below picture), there are no areas for adolescents/adults. There is a great amount of open land located north of the Alta Vista neighborhood, more specifically at the end of Alta Vista Road (see picture to the right). A trail system could be implemented, creating a sustainable and efficient way for the neighborhood to obtain a healthy lifestyle. By providing a trail system behind the neighborhood, both children and adults could take advantage of this space for outdoor recreation such as running, hiking and biking and also a safe path to fresh food. Building a trail is an affordable and effective way to provide for this community. According to a trail building company, “the cost of building a trail is estimated at approximately $8000 per mile (Pedestrian 3). The benefit of this trail system would outweigh the costs. One of the advantages that this would provide is access to the less congested road of Redwood Street located to the east. This road connects to some of the main crossroads in Fort Collins.
Open land located immediately north of the Alta Vista neighborhood.
Evaluation of Potential Solution Economically- While the construction costs may seem steep, the protection from lawsuits is more valuable. Environmentally- The construction that would take place could be harmful to the environment, but the usage could cut gas emissions over the years by residents being able to walk and ride bicycles.
Equity- Anyone would be able to use this trail.
Children’s playground located in Alta Vista. It is suitable for children but not for young adults or elderly. 16
ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS
Bringing Food To The Neighborhood
around Fort Collins with 25 of them regularly attending the Old Town Farmer's Market, according to the Farmer’s Market website. Many of these farms provide delivery, but that delivery needs to be scheduled many weeks in advance and they only deliver a few times a month. If these farms took turns providing a van filled with produce to Alta Vista on a weekly basis, the food desert would see a huge positive impact. The food would be local, healthy and extremely affordable. Many of the farms participate at the Old Town Farmer’s Market weekly already, so they have the vans and transportation necessities available.
“[The Veggie Van]...delivers bags of fresh fruit and veggies, priced at $10 a bag, to residents of Two Bridges who sign on as customers. Some 125 families signed on to the program within the first few days.”
Farm –to-Van options are a reliable and sustainable way to provide food for neighborhoods within a food desert.
Several cities within the United States have begun bringing food to neighborhoods through vehicles in areas that fall within a food desert. New York City recently adopted a farm-to-van program for several neighborhoods within the city and has been a tremendous impact on the residents. Paul Conley, a social journalist, found that the New York Veggie Van “delivers bags of fresh fruit and veggies, priced at $10 a bag, to residents of Two Bridges [neighborhood] who sign on as customers. Some 125 families signed on to the program within the first few days” (Weatherspoon 1).
Evaluation of Potential Solution Economically- Provides food from local, family owned-business at a lower cost than grocery stores. Environmentally- Only impact to the environment would be the emissions from the vans commute to the neighborhood.
Frequently, people within these food deserts rely on canned fruits and vegetables, which are typically kept in preservatives high in sodium and low in vitamins. Fort Collins is an agricultural town with many local farms which can provide a variety of affordable, healthy food. According to a Google search, there are 45 different farms located in or
Equity- Everyone can purchase food from this option. No transportation required.
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SUGGESTED COURSE OF ACTION
While all of these options are somewhat sustainable, there are a couple that are better for the environment, economy and residents. The one that would help in the short term view is a produce van. To help the Alta Vista neighborhood immediately, the van would allow residents to shop and obtain affordable locally-grown food. First, the neighborhood would need to be re-surveyed to see if this is an option they would use. Following the survey, a phone call to several different farms could take place to see their food options and if they could provide the service. Since there could be guaranteed
sales from a community with few options, the farms should have no issue with providing this service. For the long term, the best option would be to service the bus stop located on Vine Street. The stop is already built, it would just need to be serviced. This would provide access to both parks and grocery stores at an affordable cost to the residents. If both of these were to take place, the neighborhood would have solutions to both problems discussed,
Image of a Fort Collins bus in route.
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CONCLUSION Residents of communities like Alta Vista need to be able to live a healthy lifestyle, whether that be with fresh food or access to outdoor areas to improve their mental, physical and spiritual health. As shown through the research (surveys, data, etc.), neighborhoods can be left behind during times of growth within a city that leaves them in the shadows of newer developments. These neighborhoods are typically segregated from the rest of the city and oftentimes, “forgotten neighborhoods tend to be segregated by either race, class, or income” (Hellmund 8). Cities don’t often hear the requests of these areas because these neighborhoods are underrepresented and don’t have the political or financial power needed to create change. The project team’s goal is to provide communities that get left behind with a report as a guideline of how to move forward and get their voices heard. If neighborhoods and city planners referenced
this report as a case study, many will be able to use the processes and data to build a case for other neighborhoods. Communities can utilize all of this report or just sections, depending on what is applicable to the area. It can be utilized as a guide (case study) and follow the steps the team did in order to improve the accessibility of these neighborhoods. This research ranges from gathering demographic data, finding the neighborhood's needs, providing a wide range of solutions and examining the positive and negative impacts within the sustainability scope. Everyone deserves the ability to live a healthy and active life. Healthy food and parks/open spaces should be equally accessible for every member of the community to ensure a long and fulfilling life. This is a goal that every city should adopt to create a culture surrounding physical health to be passed on from generation to generation.
Aerial view of the Alta Vista neighborhood. The view is looking south. 19
WORKS CITED
Images in order: 1. Children Playing in Park. Digital Image. Totul Despre Mame. Web. July 11, 2017. Totuldespremame.ro 2. Community Accessibility Tree. Digital Image. University of Minnesota. February 12, 2015. Web. July 17, 2017. Twin-cities.umn.edu 3. Dan Countouris/TSM 4. Google Maps 5. Green Bean Delivery. Digital Image. Insider Louisville. August 25, 2013. Web. July 27, 2017. Insiderlouisville.com 6. Maryland’s Fresh Food Financing Initiative is aimed at increasing access to healthy foods in underserved areas. Digital Image. Maryland.gov Department of Housing and Community Development. February 2, 2015. Web. July 11, 2017. Maryland.gov 7. Ornelas, Daniela. Platero, Jen. Webb, Hayden. “City of Fort Collins: Equitable Access to Health and Well Being.” July 3, 2017. PowerPoint Presentation. 8. Ornelas, Daniela. Sidewalk Conditions Alta Vista. 2017. Digital Image. 9. Spring Canyon Park. Digital Image. Growing Up Fort Collins. August 15, 2013. Web. July 11, 2017. Growingupfortcollins.com 10. TransFort Bus. Digital Image. Coloradoan.com. Web. July 27, 2017. coloradoan.com 11. TransFort routes. Digital Image. TransFort. Web. July 27, 2017. ridetransfort.com/routes 12. Webb, Hayden. Alta Vista Park. 2017. Digital Image. 13. Webb, Hayden. Open Space near Alta Vista. Digital Image.
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WORKS CITED “Alta Vista Neighborhood Association Neighborhood in Fort Collins, Colorado.” City-Data,www.citydata.com/neighborhood/Alta-Vista-Neighborhood-Association-Fort-Collins-CO.html. “City Parks are a Smart Investment for America's Health, Economy, and Environment.” City Parks Alliance. Accessed 27 July 2017. Duggan, Kevin. “Fort Collins neighborhood resists sidewalks.” The Coloradoan, Coloradoan, 16 Jan. 2017, www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2017/01/16/fort-collins-neighborhood-resistssidewalks/96515630/. Accessed 27 July 2017 Hellmund, Paul Cawood, and Daniel Somers Smith. Designing Greenways: Sustainable Landscapes for Nature and People. Island Press, 2006. Hinkle-Brown, Don, Yael Lehmann, and Judith Bell. "Access to Healthy Food Improves Health, Brings Economic Benefits." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 20 Feb. 2014. Web. 31 July 2017. “Larimer County Farmers Market.” Larimer County Farmers Market, www.larimercountyfarmersmarket.org/. Accessed 27 July 2017 March. "Resources and Library:." Economic Benefits of Open Space, Recreation Facilities and Walkable Community Design.” N.p., n.d. Web. 31 July 2017. “Pedestrian & Bicycle Information Center.” Pedestrian & Bicycle Information Center, U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration , PedBikeInfo.Org/. Accessed 27 July 2017. Seltenrich, Nate. “Just What the Doctor Ordered: Using Parks to Improve Children's Health.” National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Oct. 2015, ehp.niehs.nih.gov/123-A254/. Accessed 27 July 2017. Southan, Rhys, and Michael Bluejay. Cyclists suing city governments over unsafe roadways. BicycleSafe.com, Mar. 2006, bicyclesafe.com/lawsuits.html. Accessed 27 July 2017. Stice, Alicia. "Downtown Fort Collins Safeway to Close." The Coloradoan. Coloradoan, 17 Jan. 2017. Web. 27 July 2017. “Trail Cost Analysis.” Ped & Pedal, 2010. Accessed 27 July 2017. "USDA Defines Food Deserts." American Nutrition Association. American Nutrition Association, n.d. Web. 15 July 2017. Weatherspoon, Dave. “Fresh vegetable demand behaviour in an urban food desert.” Urban Studies, Sage Journals, 28 Apr. 2014, journals.sagepub.com.ezproxy2.library.colostate.edu/doi/ abs/10.1177/0042098014529340. Accessed 27 July 2017.
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APPENDIX I
A Map of the Food Deserts in Fort Collins, Colorado
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APPENDIX II
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APPENDIX III
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2017 COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY WORKSHOP 2017 COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY WORKSHOP AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
The Colorado State University Sustainability Workshop integrates the content of two undergraduate courses in one real-world, problemsolving workshop focused on finding practical and sustainable solutions to community problems. Working together in 2017, interdisciplinary groups of students—most in their first year of study at CSU—and faculty took on projects for Northern Colorado communities, including non-profit organizations and government agencies. Teams of two, three, or four students worked directly with these clients to carry out the projects and write the final reports, which were edited by the workshop coordinators. Workshop Coordinators: Katie Haggstrom (Graduate Teaching Assistant, CSU English Department), Paul Cawood Hellmund (Instructor, CSU School of Global Environmental Sustainability), and Kristie Yelinek, (Instructor, CSU English Department) The 2017 Sustainable Community Fellows are Suleiman Abdulkhaleq, Alex Benitez, Maria Castaneda, Brittany Escobedo, Karina Gonzalez, Silas Harris, Daniela Ornelas, Gia Pizzichini, Jen Platero, Adam Rusch, Monica Solis, Hayden Webb, and Johanna Zapata The workshop is sponsored by three parts of the university: School of Global Environmental Sustainability, English Department, and the Career Center.
T C
his report focuses on ways to make two important community aspects—
onsider the unfathomed of 20 acres, accessible and the concept of a “Health parks/natural areas and potential healthy food—more to residents of hub. ” “Health hub” is a recentlyIncoined termAccess referring to a facility that underserved neighborhoods. Equitable to Health & Well-being
addresses aspects of health. The aOne Health Institute at Colorado in Underserved FortallCollins Neighborhoods, team of three students from the State
University, in partnership a larger collaborative, hastopurchased those 20 acres, Colorado State Universitywith present alternative solutions making the community surrounding the Salud Health in the 80521 zip code area of more sustainable. TheyFamily focus on Alta Clinic, Vista, alocated Fort Collins, Colorado, neighborhood, Fort Collins, Colorado. Theand One Health work park to fight disease. They located in a “food desert” which hasInstitute access todoes onlynot a small located within
problem, research, selecting a study area, collecting data, analyzing data, developing This project is intended to give the 80521 zip code community, including its solutions, evaluating implications, and traditionally underserved members, the opportunity to consider health as more than communicating/presenting the final product. just the physical. The goal of this health hub is to address the questions: This project was completed with the hope of • What does the community need to have a better understanding of health? offering it as a case study for other underserved • How can their wants be fulfilled in a way that incorporates systems thinking and neighborhoods. problem solving in order to achieve a sustainable health hub?
2017 2017 COMMUNITY COMMUNITYSUSTAINABILITY SUSTAINABILITYWORKSHOP WORKSHOP COLORADO COLORADOSTATE STATEUNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY
The Colorado State University Sustainability Workshop integrates the content of two undergraduate courses in one The Colorado State University Sustainability Workshop integrates the content of two undergraduate courses in one real-world, problem-solving workshop focused on finding practical and sustainable solutions to community problems. real-world, problem-solving workshop focused on finding practical and sustainable solutions to community problems. Working together in 2017, interdisciplinary groups of students—most in their first year of study at CSU—and faculty Working together in 2017, interdisciplinary groups of students—most in their first year of study at CSU—and faculty took on projects for Northern Colorado communities, including non-profit organizations and government agencies. took on projects for Northern Colorado communities, including non-profit organizations and government agencies. The workshop is sponsored by three parts of the university: School of Global Environmental Sustainability, English The workshop is sponsored by three parts of the university: School of Global Environmental Sustainability, English Department, and the Career Center. Department, and the Career Center.
Front cover illustration: freedesignfile.com Photo credits. Front cover: Pixabay.com; Back: nesta.org.uk
seek to create health.This was done through an eight-step process: identifying the the neighborhood.