Sheboygan starts 2019 being recognized as a “Wisconsin Active Together” Community for our efforts to promote active lifestyles and for the pledge to do more — because in addition to celebrating accomplishments, communities can make resolutions to foster health too! Where we live impacts our wellness and the newly named Wisconsin Active Together Communities, now reaching 1.4 million Wisconsinites across the state, know that even small changes in the landscape and in promoting being active can add up to creating lasting changes for everyone’s benefit, impacting both health and the economy.
The City of Sheboygan demonstrated what we’ve done and our commitment to advancing strategies for safe places to walk, bike, and be active and now joins 20 others to be called a Wisconsin Active Together community. Created and supported by a network of local coalitions and statewide organizations, Wisconsin Active Together is also proud to announce the other newly named Wisconsin Active Together Communities. Get to know Sheboygan’s efforts more through our community profile at wiactivetogether.org/sheboygan as well as the other communities at wiactivetogether.org/communities.
Change is afoot in the City of Sheboygan, shaping the way people get from place to place. Much of the energy comes from local neighborhood associations, in partnership with the city. The Mayor’s Neighborhood Leadership Cabinet provides a forum, as well as grant funding opportunities, to discuss and plan changes that create vibrant, active places. According to Nancy Maring from Sheboygan’s Planning & Development Department, “These associations flourish when there are projects that bring people together.” The groups have worked on many initiatives that spark outdoor activity, like park improvements, trail and adopt-a-park initiatives, and placemaking efforts. Adding to that momentum, local economic development stakeholders have advanced walkable downtown improvements, and partners involved in healthy aging issues are making improvements that earned an AARP Age Friendly Community Designation. Synergy among the initiatives has created an emerging new vitality in Sheboygan. For this reason Senior Activity Center Commission member Jeanne Bogardus notes, “I pat myself on the back for having the foresight to move here from the San Francisco Bay Area.”
Major county-level infrastructure investments also helped to set the stage for success. In 2005, Sheboygan County received a $25 million federal grant from the Non-Motorized Pilot Program to develop a network of off-road paved paths that connect neighborhoods, retail centers, schools, recreation amenities, and employment centers. Thanks to the city’s collaboration on the pilot program, new trail systems traverse Sheboygan and connect many destinations with employment centers and cultural enrichment opportunities. It has also also sparked new trail network investments; for example, a North-South trail constructed through the federal investment is included in the city budget for expansion across the entire city. Now that residents have experienced its benefits, they embrace a robust trail system and eagerly wonder when the extension will be complete. Sheboygan provides a regional example of the power that large scale infrastructure investment can have on reshaping the physical and cultural landscape around walking and biking.
With more walkable places being created, Sheboygan neighbors feel more encouraged to walk and bike. The shift is visible. “I started walking to work 5 years ago and it was unusual back then,” said Nancy Maring, “but now you see it more and more.” Sheboygan continues its progress each day, and we’re excited to see what the next year brings!
So for 2019, let’s work to make Wisconsin Active Together! Here’s a couple things you can do… join us in advancing local strategies for safe places to walk, bike, and be active. Get out and be active in our great community. Sign-up on LovetoRide.net and join the Sheboygan team to log your biking miles.
The statewide partners who have co-developed and/or support the Wisconsin Active Together campaign are numerous. Brought together through the healthTIDE network and its Active Communities Team, they launched the effort in order to support local communities for their commitment to health through growing and promoting their places to walk, bike and be active while also sponsoring coaching, peer networking, and in person and virtual trainings, among other resources.
BACKGROUND ON THE ISSUE: Wisconsin Active Together is an effort to recognize and support communities for their commitment to health through growing and promoting places to walk, bike, and be active. As sponsors, we aim to foster local-level implementation and promote a framework moving communities from program to policy change. This includes promoting being active and changing the built environment and advancing policies to ensure it is easy and safe to be physically active in our communities.