Joplin, Missouri
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Taking Action: Rebuilding Joplin after the Tornado Using the ATSDR Brownfields / Land Revitalization Action Model Green Complete Streets in the 20th Street Corridor Joplin, MO / January, 2014 Taking Action: Rebuilding Joplin after the Tornado 1 Using the ATSDR Brownfields / Land Revitalization Action Model Contents Land Revitalization Action Model ............................................................................4 1. Access to Nature ........................................................................................................................................5 2. Get Outside/ Be More Active ............................................................................................9 3. Clean Environment/ Accessibility ....................................................................... 13 4. Healthier/ More Affordable Food Choices ........................................ 19 5. Want to Feel Safer ............................................................................................................................... 21 6. Get Around Without a Car ................................................................................................. 22 7. Other Health Issues ......................................................................................................................... 23 8. Communications ................................................................................................................................. 24 9. Employment / Education ....................................................................................................... 25 10. General ................................................................................................................................................................ 26 Land Revitalization Action Model Green Complete Streets in the 20th Street Corridor, Joplin, Missouri The Agency for Toxic Substances and strategy for the 20th Street Corridor from especially as those conditions relate to Disease Registry (ATSDR) Brownfields/ Main Street to Highview Avenue. The Joplin human health. The City of Joplin, state and pri- Land Revitalization Action Model is a 2011 Tornado inflicted heavy damage on vate initiatives, as well as federal agencies are framework for a community revitalization this corridor, and the city plans to redevelop all working to improve Joplin’s infrastructure, project. The following four steps complete and revitalize the area. Because the tornado environment, and its economy. This Action the Action Model framework: completely destroyed parts of the corridor, Model organizes these efforts into one frame- the city wants to revitalize former residential work that incorporates health themes and Step 1: What are the issues in the community? or industrial areas for community use. Some enables planning, avoids duplication of effort, Step 2: How can redevelopment of these plans include a renovated high and provides dataset access. address these issues? school, a theater, and a library. The city Community members participated in Step 3: What are the corresponding also looked for input from USEPA to make community health benefits? a voluntary health engagement activity that the area more “green,” with bike paths and linked design characteristics to health. The Step 4: What data are needed sidewalks for residents to enjoy without activity took place during two community to measure change? relying on a vehicle for transportation. But meetings and the Third Thursday event in The Joplin 20th Street Corridor Action some of this area was dotted with mine June 2013. Over the three sessions, 135 people Model is focused around six Healthy waste piles (chat piles) that contained high provided their three top choices out of a list Community Land Reuse themes* and four lead levels. The City of Joplin is part of the of six health-related healthy community additional community concerns: Missouri lead (Pb) belt, and removal actions design ideas. 1. Access to Nature in this corridor were already taking place. 2. Get Outside/ Be More Active Nevertheless, during the revitalization process planners need to give special consideration 3. Clean Environment/ Accessibility to reducing possible lead exposures. 4. Healthier/ More Affordable food By incorporating essential health 5. Feel Safer themes, this Action Model compliments 6. Get Around Without Car the green complete street designs. And 7. Other Health Issues many of the measures suggested in this 8. Communications model might be applicable to other 9. Employment/Education areas of the city, which could enable the 10. General model’s expansion or reapplication. The City of Joplin asked the U.S. This Action Model characterizes existing Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) to conditions and highlights community revi- assist in developing a green complete street talization efforts in the 20th street Corridor, *Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Healthy Community Design Initiative. Healthy Community Design Checklist. 2012. Available from URL: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/factsheets/healthy_community_checklist.pdf Taking Action: Rebuilding Joplin after the Tornado 4 Using the ATSDR Brownfields / Land Revitalization Action Model 1. Access to Nature #1 in Joplin Health Engagement Activity (See Appendix A) Community Issues Redevelopment Approach Health Benefit Measurement (Indicator) Comment/ Sources of Data People need more access to Work with Parks and Rec to create a Increased physical activity leading # of existing parks, acreage of green Getting outside/being more active recreation for physical activity. plan for more parks, linkages, trails. to cardiovascular benefits, possibly space, with participation rates/ were listed as the top 2 choices reducing juvenile crime. usage of parks. in the Joplin Health Engagement Kids are not playing outside across Justification: Using the 2007 Activity. See Appendix A: Joplin the United States like they did Health and Preventative Practices Outdoor play increases fitness Look at childhood obesity Health Engagement Activity. decades ago. Survey, 32.5% of Jasper County levels and builds active, healthy rates over time as expressed by residents and 37.5% of Newton bodies, an important strategy in percentage of population. See Appendix B: 2010 “Yeah, walking is probably a good County residents are reported as helping kids who are obese get fit. Demographics map (note thing to have- maybe that is why overweight, with 27.8% and 28.7% limitation on census data I have gotten so fat”- Comment (respectively) reported as obese. pre-tornado). during community meeting on Green Complete Streets. Residents of both counties also report less leisure-time physical activity and overall fair or poor general health status. The average boy or girl in the United States spends as few as 30 minutes in unstructured outdoor play each day, and more than 7 hours each day in front of an electronic screen. Taking Action: Rebuilding Joplin after the Tornado 5 Using the ATSDR Brownfields / Land Revitalization Action Model Community Issues Redevelopment Approach Health Benefit Measurement (Indicator) Comment/ Sources of Data Limited opportunities are available Have more involvement with the Spending time outside raises Do physical counts of See Appendix A: Joplin Health for access to Nature according to parks and recreations department. levels of Vitamin D, helping people in parks. Engagement Activity- Access to Nature was listed as Number 1. Joplin Residents (in comments Parks Board. protect children from future bone Do surveys of communities problems, heart disease, diabetes during the Third Thursday event). Involve metropolitan needs/ wants with parks. and other health issues. “I’d like to get healthier and get Planning Board. outside more”- comment from Research suggests being Joplin resident during Third outside improves distance Thursday event. vision and lowers the chance of nearsightedness. Having playtime in nature may help children develop critical thinking & decision making skills. Access to Nature. Some community Involve School boards, PTA’s, and Exposure to natural settings may Look at #s of park goers. Appendix A: Joplin Health be widely effective in reducing Engagement Activity- Access to members believe children in Joplin Teacher Associations. Make sure Check with School nurses/ local ADHD symptoms. Nature ranked Number 1. have hight rates of Attention Deficit that recess is still encouraged pediatricians for ADHD numbers. Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). in schools. Have outside “play” The number of Joplin kids with This belief is unconfirmed and is areas near schools. Have kid’s ADHD is currently not known. anecdotal from comments during playground areas in city parks that Try to establish percentage of third Thursday event. are kept maintained. population with ADHD. Justification: Childhood obesity Check with pharmacists for total rates have more than doubled the numbers of ADHD prescriptions. last 20 years; the United States has become the largest consumer of ADHD medications in the world. ADHD may be associated with exposure to Lead (Pb). Taking Action: Rebuilding Joplin after the Tornado 6 Using the ATSDR Brownfields / Land Revitalization Action Model Community Issues Redevelopment Approach Health Benefit Measurement (Indicator) Comment/ Sources of Data There is a voiced wish to have dog Have dog parks that are accessible Dog walking resources and Involve animal shelter groups See Appendix C: Park Sites. parks. This was said many times and connected