NEWS
Photo courtesy of VISIT Milwaukee.
Fostering Health & Safety in Urban Spaces SOCIAL INTERACTION, EXERCISE AND ACCESSIBLE GREEN SPACES HELP PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES TO THRIVE BY VIRGINIA SMALL
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s we inch out of the COVID era, public health and safety remain compelling concerns. Among pandemic takeaways are the essential roles that nature and social connections play in promoting health. To that end, Milwaukeeans continue to turn to public spaces to foster individual and collective well-being. Public spaces, such as parks, libraries, schools, playgrounds, swimming pools, senior centers and community gardens, are what sociologists call “social infrastructure.” Community organizations, including churches and civic associations, also serve as social infrastructures when they have an established physical space where people can assemble. So do ongoing community events such as outdoor markets and free concerts. Milwaukee Public Schools hosts Summer Twilight Centers with free-drop-in programming and extended hours at select schools as safe places for young people to go in the evening. Although government and community agencies generally manage such places, residents often help ensure that they meet current human needs. Activities in the public realm increase “eyes on the street” and neighborly interactions. In places that welcome everyone people can freely meet and mix with others, which decreases social isolation. 8 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS
Residents throughout Milwaukee are engaging in initiatives promoting health, safety and community bonds, often collaborating with wide-ranging agencies. Here are some of the diverse opportunities.
EXERCISE TOGETHER Gathering to exercise outdoors offers many benefits. It can be motivating and stimulating to walk, run or bike with one or more workout buddies. Some senior centers and community groups organize clubs for walking and other outdoor activities. Other community-promoting options abound to meet up in public to stay fit and socialize. Alice’s Garden Urban Farm (2136 N. Garfield Ave.) hosts free yoga classes on summertime Tuesdays at 6 p.m. This is one of many programs held in the community garden during Artisan Markets, held from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays through August. Vendors offer prepared food and other wares, and people mingle in the picnic shelter. Check the garden’s Facebook page for updates. Free yoga classes are also conducted in Johnsons Park, directly across from Alice’s Garden (1919 W. Fond du Lac Ave.) on Sundays at 10 a.m. through August 28. Embody Yoga teachers
