The mission of the Active Living Committee was to increase the physical activity of residents in Cleveland. Following are past projects that helped further this mission:


ciCLEvia/Open Streets Cleveland (2016 & 2017)

The Active Living Committee’s assistance in planning the 2016 & 2017 ciCLEvia series (more recently re-branded as Open Streets Cleveland) was a great success. In the course of these series, families from all over Cleveland were able to enjoy designated afternoons of car-free streets. The days were full of activities and fun for all ages, with participants numbering in the thousands across the 2 years of the Active Living Committee’s involvement.


Partnership with YMCA Reach Grant (2016)

Healthy Cleveland's Active Living Committee partnered with the YMCA to help fund 2 neighborhood focus groups for the purpose of soliciting feedback regarding barriers to active living opportunities in Cleveland. The two neighborhoods chosen were the Stockyard, Clark-Fulton, Brooklyn Centre Neighborhood and Slavic Village. Focusing on these two neighborhoods allowed group leaders to capture the needs of both east-side and west-side communities.

Focus group leaders spoke with residents about their personal barriers to active living opportunities, such as access to recreational centers and/or neighborhood activities. By engaging at the resident level, the Active Living Committee and YMCA were able to gain a better understanding of how residents felt about their active living spaces. Even more, they were able to identify ways to increase active living opportunities in the community and limit the number of barriers residents faced in pursuing those opportunities.


Community Development Outreach Survey (2015)

The Active Living Committee developed a survey for Community Development Corporations to complete based upon their active living infrastructure and activities for residents. The results of this survey led to the conclusion that there are a good amount of active living opportunities that exist. However, the state of the infrastructure, little programming geared towards adults and seniors, and perceptions of safety all hindered usage and participation in these local active living opportunities. For a more detailed summary of the group’s findings, click here.


Healthy Eating Active Living Maps (2014)

Healthy Cleveland's Active Living Committee (in partnership with Cleveland City Planning Commission; The Ohio State University College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences; PRCHN at Case Western Reserve University; and the City of Cleveland) identified community resources and plotted them on Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) maps.

These maps, established in 2014, were a great tool in viewing healthy eating and active living resources in our community. The maps included community gardens, recreation centers, parks, bikeways, schools, YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, libraries, retail food establishments, and more. The maps also showed the races and ethnicities that make up our neighborhoods. The maps were designed to provide the chance for our residents and stakeholders to identify opportunities for increasing healthy eating and active living assets in our city.


Earn-a-Bike Program (2014)

The Ohio City Bicycle Co-op partnered with the Active Living Committee, Metro Health, Stockyards Clark Fulton, Brooklyn Center Community Development Corporation, and Sherwin Williams to implement the Earn-a-Bike program in the Stockyards Neighborhood. Launching in the Summer of 2014, the Earn-a-Bike program was an in-depth bike repair and riding course for youth. By completing the program, students earned a refurbished mountain bike, with a new helmet and lock. This program was free to participants.