Bringing physical activity to the city streets: A case study of Harvest Home PlayStreets

Background: Streets and sidewalks comprise 80% of New York City public space. Ninety-seven out of 188 neighborhoods do not provide enough play space for children in NYC. Childhood obesity disproportionately impacts children in lower income areas such as Harlem and the South Bronx, where 40% of primary school children are overweight or obese. Methods: As part of a CDC funded initiative, three collaborating organizations engaged over 30 community partners in East Harlem and the South Bronx to develop Harvest Home PlayStreets (HHPS). In 2010, nine HHPS days were organized in two separate locations on city streets that were closed to traffic for a weekly farmers market. HHPSs sought to increase physical activity among youth through a mix of programmed and self-directed outdoors activities. An independent evaluation of HHPS involved street intercept surveys with individuals over 10 years of age (n=133), and structured observations. Results: Over 1200 youth participated in activities at the HHPSs. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed reported living within 10 blocks of the HHPS. Forty-four percent reported engaging in physical activity at HHPSs, and 64% reported that they would have otherwise been engaged in a sedentary activity. Ninety-two percent said they felt safe from car traffic at the HHPS. Conclusions: Street space can be repurposed as PlayStreets to provide greater access to safe outdoor play spaces close to home. Model PlayStreets can be built around existing farmers markets and street closures. However expansion of this model requires a streamlined application process and institutionalization within NYC.