Intro Presentation: Middletown on the Move

Middletown on the Move: Engaging the Community to Increase Recreational Opportunities for Middletown Citizens April 7, 2016 Middletown Parents

Brief Agenda • Who I am • Introduction to grant and goals • Brownfields • Neighborhood survey • Grant work to date • Future grant work • How you can get involved • Comments/Questions

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Spokane, WA Riverfront Park

Goals of the CDC Grant • Primary goal: • Plans to redevelop a Brownfield site for recreation and community green space

• Secondary goals: • Citizen & community involvement in redevelopment projects • Develop active stakeholder group to advocate and represent citizen needs • Environmental health education to reduce exposure effects from brownfields

What is a Brownfield ?

• CDC/ATSDR: Brownfields are “former industrial, commercial, and residential properties with real or perceived contamination” • Negatively impacts overall health & economy of a community

• Brownfield sites often have a history : • Heavy metal use • Lead paint (pre 1978) • Oil tank underground • Industrial warehouse/ manufacturing

Not your usual grant…..

• ATSDR Action Model • Citizen involvement • Public health principles include everyone • Transparency • Public input reported by independent consultants • Create space where people will be active getting there and when there – reduce obesity, diabetes, heart disease risks • Win/Win…..places to go and things to do…….

• Billings Forge, Hartford, CT

ATSDR Action model What are health issues in the community ?

How can new development address the issues ?

What are the community health and economic benefits ?

What data do we need for this ?

• Encourage citizens to think about broad topics : • Health – physical and mental • Community – education, economy, safety, security , • Land and Environment – contaminated soil/water/air, parks, waterways • Buildings and Infrastructure, grocery stores, sidewalks

Current stakeholder/collaborator committee

Prior Middletown Brownfield work Before

After

Neighborhood Survey • 906 returned of 3600 distributed/online • 65% with no kids under 18 at home – caused changes for us • About 39% of citizens happy with neighborhood life • Neighborhoods outside 3 zones least angry about quality of life.

• #1 Concern - cars driving too fast.

• Other concerns : Crime, Traffic, Sidewalk conditions, Safety, Noise, Lack of nearby parks, Litter • Comments questions show this

Survey on parks/greenspace • Majority used city parks, but less than once a month.

• Too small, no amenities and in poor shape.

• Would visit parks/green space if : • 1) Park benches • 2)Hiking trails/walking paths • 3)Permanent bathroom • 4)Farmers market • 5)Play scape • 6)Park closer - Safe walking access to park • 8)Community garden space

Future work and events • 3 Open Houses and Public Forums with facilitators on : • May 25, 2016 (Downtown) • June 1, 2016 (Community Health Center) • June 8, 2016 (Senior Center)

• Feet to the Fire May 7th – Harbor Park • 12 Noon to 4 PM • Safe garden soil use workshop May 6th – 5:45 PM (register and $3 fee) • Brownfield bus tours May 14th 10AM and 1 PM – Start at City Hall

Pedestrian trail counters In the field

Cincinnati

How to get involved…

• Public forum or open house – Participate and be heard !

• Take the Brownfields bus tour and learn • Encourage others – pass the word !

• Follow progress of project

Questions/comments • Thank you for inviting me • Our consultants: Horsley Witten Group from Providence, RI • http://www.horsleywitten.com/.

• Project web site: http ://www.middletownctonthemove.com/.