“Let waters of justice roll”: Connecting neighbors and organizations in public spaces to address health inequalities

Background:

Northern Manhattan has more than 500 acres of public parkland and the High Bridge, part of the historic Old Croton Aqueduct. While some parks are well-utilized, the High Bridge site is underutilized and the bridge remains closed to the public due to the neighborhoods' history of violence during the 80s and 90s. The positive impact of parks on the mental and physical health of individuals and communities is important in reducing obesity and increasing active living in poor communities. City Life is Moving Bodies (CLIMB) is a community-based initiative founded on the belief that communities, regardless of socioeconomic background, are entitled to access to safe parks and neighborhoods. CLIMB aims to address violence, obesity and sedentary lifestyles through collaborative community engagement. Just as the Old Croton Aqueduct brought clean water to address the historic NYC cholera and fire epidemics, CLIMB seeks to bring “waters of justice” to areas injured by inequalities.

Methods:

Utilizing community mobilization strategies we engage stakeholders through the “Potluck Method” (each brings a “covered dish”--hike leaders, healthy food, programming, constituents to the process and annual event). This method is useful in poor neighborhoods: it helps stretch resources and changes the power relationship among collaborators.

Outcomes:

In five years CLIMB has grown in number of partners, who have: held five annual outreach events; increased the number of activities during the event; increased investment in the park; informed policies about management of public spaces; and improved planning based on a more complete analysis of the space.