The Center for Prevention at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota has launched an initiative to make neighborhoods more amendable to walking, biking and other forms of physical activity.
The Center for Prevention is awarding funding for 10 projects, entitled Active Places demonstration projects, to organizations throughout the state of Minnesota. The temporary, low-cost projects will allow people to experience their neighborhoods in a new way and will aim to build long-term changes within communities. They were selected through a competitive process.
Active Places demonstration projects will take place between June and October. The organizations that have been awarded funding include:
- Ventura Village Neighborhood
- Milaca Fine Arts Council
- Asian Economic Development Association
- Corcoran Neighborhood Organization
- Lake Street Council
- Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation
- The City of Hopkins
- Healthy Duluth
- Friendly Streets Initiative
- City of Cloquet
Projects include providing the large population of Somali elders and youth with places to play bocce ball, transforming eight bridges over I-94 and implementing a week-long demonstration at elementary and high schools.
"Blue Cross is proud to support organizations throughout Minnesota that share our commitment to creating spaces where people feel safe and inspired to be active. We hope our funding enables them to gain the public support needed to drive more long-term, permanent community change," said Janelle Waldock, director of the Center for Prevention.