TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Steve Powers, City Manager
FROM: Peter Fernandez, PE, Public Works Director
SUBJECT:
title
Application for Small Grants for Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities to be used for bicycle racks and a bicycle repair station in seven City of Salem parks.
Ward(s): 1, 2, 6
Councilor(s): Bennett, Andersen, Benjamin
Neighborhood(s): ELNA, Grant, Highland, NESCA, NOLA, SESNA
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ISSUE:
Shall the City Council authorize the City Manager to apply for and, if successful, receive funds from the Small Grants for Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities program to install a bicycle repair (“fix-it”) station at Geer Park, as well as bicycle racks at the following parks:
• Aldrich Park
• Grant School Park
• Highland Park
• Lee Park
• McKay School Park
• Royal Oaks Park
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to apply for and, if successful, receive funds from the Small Grants for Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities program to install a bicycle repair station at Geer Park, as well as bicycle racks at the following parks:
• Aldrich Park
• Grant School Park
• Highland Park
• Lee Park
• McKay School Park
• Royal Oaks Park
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
On August 22, 2016, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2016-40 joining the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Cities Campaign. The HEAL Campaign is administered by the Oregon Public Health Institute and the League of Oregon Cities, and is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.
The HEAL Cities Campaign is designed to help civic leaders create healthy communities. The Campaign focuses on policies that establish rules and shape the environment in which employees, residents, and businesses make decisions related to nutrition and physical activity. The HEAL Campaign provides cities with information about policy options in four areas: Land Use and Transportation, Access to Healthy Food Options, Shared Use, and Workplace Wellness & Nutrition Standards.
Upon adoption of Resolution No. 2016-40, which designated the City of Salem as a HEAL City, the City became eligible for the Small Grants for HEAL Cities Program. The purpose of the Small Grants for HEAL Cities Program is to encourage cities to implement HEAL policies. HEAL Cities Small Grants offers implementation grants to up to six cities to implement HEAL policies. The HEAL Cities Small Grants Program aims to increase access for Oregonians to healthier food and encourage Oregonians to be more physically active.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
1. HEAL has a total of $35,000 available for Small Grants. They intend to award up to six grants statewide, in amounts between $5,000 and $15,000 each. Applications are due September 30, 2016. Applicants will be required to provide a local match equal to at least 50 percent of the project total. Match may be cash, or in-kind services and material. Grant awardees will be announced in November 2016 and projects must be complete by October 13, 2017.
2. The HEAL Cities Small Grants is an opportunity to improve bicycle safety and accessibility through the installation of bicycle racks at seven park locations currently lacking in such facilities and a bicycle repair station at Geer Park. These facilities responds to the need for bicycle racks at neighborhood parks as identified in the NEN-SESNA Neighborhood Plan, adopted by Council in February 2015. Policy 16.2 of the NEN-SESNA Neighborhood Plan calls for citywide installation of bicycle parking at all neighborhood parks to enable and encourage access by bicycles.
3. Public Works staff identified the following locations for improvements:
• Aldrich Park (SESNA): surface mount bicycle rack
• Geer Park (NESCA): bicycle repair station (similar to the “fixit” facility at Riverfront Park; bicycle parking already exists)
• Grant Park (Grant): surface mount bicycle rack
• Highland Park (Highland): 8-foot by 8-foot concrete slab & surface mount bicycle rack
• Lee Park (SESNA): 8-foot by 8-foot concrete slab & surface mount bicycle rack
• McKay School Park (NOLA): surface mount bicycle rack
• Royal Oaks Park (ELNA): 8-foot by 8-foot concrete slab and surface mount bicycle rack
4. Staff shared these proposed improvements with the six affected neighborhood associations and requested letters of support to include with the application.
5. The projected total cost for these improvements is $10,846. The City will be responsible for 50 percent of the project cost, or $5,423. Matching funds could be provided by a combination of in-kind services, Salem Parks Foundation funds, the Parks Donation Account, Parks Operating Budget, or General Fund.
6. The deadline for completion of these improvements is October 13, 2017.
7. This project is consistent with City of Salem policies. The Comprehensive Park System Master Plan lists bicycle racks as standard facilities, and the Salem Revised Code requires bicycle parking for any proposed new parks.
8. Public Works staff anticipates that the addition of bicycle facilities at the parks listed above will encourage users to ride their bicycles and take advantage of the opportunities our parks provide. The benefits to those users will include:
• Improved physical and mental health
• Increased sense of community
• Safer parks
9. A secondary benefit will be fewer people driving to parks, creating a safer and more environmentally friendly park.
10. After these bicycle facilities are installed, staff will solicit feedback from neighborhood associations and park users, and will monitor the usage and condition of the facilities.
Robert D. Chandler, PhD, PE
Assistant Public Works Director
Attachments:
1. HEAL Park Locations Map
8/30/2016