Oral

Purpose: Lack of parks, playgrounds and open space is a social justice issue that can be addressed through policy and environmental changes. Considering that one quarter of California teens don’t have a safe park near home Joint-use is a policy mechanism that provides for shared use of public spaces. This session will describe 4 elements of a multi-faceted effort to create equitable access to physical activity and recreation opportunities in California. Through the development of a taskforce, a toolkit, a website and a series of local photo-voice projects, the four speakers will describe how California has witnessed rapid mobilization to advance joint use and share implications for other states interested in these approaches. Relevance: Lower-income communities typically have less access to parks, playgrounds and open space than affluent communities. Eliminating this disparity is an important step toward improving both kids’ and adults’ levels of physical activity. Joint use of public facilities — the sharing of space between schools and communities--is one way to increase availability of safe, conveniently located places to exercise and play. It is also a way for local entities to pool resources and share in the operations and maintenance of these spaces. As our nation grapples with inactivity-related illness amidst difficult economic times, joint use is a good solution that supports physical activity through wise use of public resources.

Session Objectives: 1. Define 4 different types of joint use agreements 2. Describe why joint use may be a useful strategy for equalizing access to physical activity opportunities, especially in park-poor communities. 3. Locate at least 2 online resources to build understanding of joint use and help advance local joint use efforts 4. Identify at least 3 different efforts underway in California to increase the number of joint use agreements and infer ways in which these can be replicated and / or applied in their own jurisdictions.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)