Strong Together: Building Up Our Neighborhoods Project Update

Fort Scott, KS: Health is Neighborhoods and Environment. The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT) addresses one of the social determinants of health by building connections between where a person lives (e.g., housing, neighborhood, and environment) and his or her health and well-being.

HBCAT held the first of three public forums for their Stronger Together: Building Up Our Neighborhoods creative placemaking project. Special thanks to the Fort Scott Fire House Station #2 for allowing HBCAT to host the event there and to Aunt Toadies who catered a breakfast buffet. This event was facilitated by Danny Barrera with Wichita State Engagement Institute, funded by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to Healthy Kansas Grant, who helped the group define what increased moral, community pride and healthy behaviors look like in 15 years. Participants were even able to discuss potential projects.

The major themes identified were:

• • Pavilion/Amphitheater with Internet Access
  • Public Transportation
  • Parks: Slides and Natural Obstacle Courses
  • Access to Food: Food Boxes, Farmers Market and Food Court

The group voiced the want for more events on the Eastside and blur the lines between the East side/West side. There is $140,000 in grant funds from the Patterson Family Foundation and an additional $10,000 from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to Healthy Kansas Grant for this creative placemaking project and another Downtown Arch project. HBCAT steering committee will take this information, start drafting real plans and plan for the next public forum to be held in May.

The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team’s mission statement drives their work: they aim to increase access to healthy food and physical activity, promote commercial tobacco cessation, enhance the quality of life, and encourage economic growth.

Creating quality places will attract a healthier workforce. People are prioritizing where they live instead of where they work. As an economic development support organization, the HBCAT is taking a more holistic approach by focusing on people and healthy places versus industrial parks and attracting large businesses like amazon or google we are. Covid 19 pandemic truly highlighted a shift from picking a location based on a job to picking a location to live based on the quality of life and amenities. The HBCAT is focusing on making the healthy choice the default choice, improving community amenities like our outdoor recreational spaces, and building a healthy workforce. We do this by creating key relationships with community members and cross-sector leaders like the local elected officials, extension agents, school personnel, entrepreneurs, local community members, and the chamber of commerce.

For any East Side residents that want to be more involved in this project please reach out to Rachel Carpenter by phone at 620-215-2562 or by email at [email protected]