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August 2018
Rochester to get more playful with "Corridor of Play"
The national nonprofit KaBOOM! and the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation will fund three major play projects in Rochester as part of their Play Everywhere Challenge. Part of this funding is $70,000 for a new "Corridor of Play" along Court Street downtown. This interactive play trail will link the Central Library and ROC the Riverway projects with the Strong Museum of Play. The trail will include musical instruments, sidewalk games and river-oriented features.
Project partners are the City of Rochester, Rochester Public Library, Friends and Foundation of Rochester Public Library, The Strong Museum of Play, artist Shawn Dunwoody, Rochester Educational Opportunity Center, C4 Community Coalition and Healthi Kids.
Read more about the other funded play projects.
ROC City Skatepark receives funding
Congratulations to the ROC City Skatepark, which is part of the ROC the Riverway project. New York State has promised the skatepark $1 million, and the Tony Hawk and Ralph C. Wilson, Jr., foundations will contribute $250,000 to build the park. Fundraising is still underway to reach the $2 million goal. Learn more.
Austin DiFiore goes over a jump on a skateboard at PlayROCs Play Streets on Greeley Street Aug. 20.
PlayROCs Play Streets wraps up
Healthi Kids ended the second year of the PlayROCs Play Streets pilot program on Aug. 20. For Play Streets, residents received permission from the city of Rochester to close down parts of Greeley, Treyer and Radio Streets for 18 play days in July and August. Each site had fun games, healthy snacks, summer meals, playful sidewalk painting and more.
This year Healthi Kids collaborated with Ibero-American Development Corporation, Project Hope, the FLRT Block Club and Beechwood Neighbors Coalition and others. Healthi Kids continues to work with the City of Rochester to simplify the process for neighborhoods to host play streets.
Dominick Sinopoli, left, and Bob Stokes, right, play pickleball at PlayROCs Play Streets on Greeley Street Aug. 20.
Take and share a survey on park access
The City of Rochester wants people who live in the city to share whether it is easy it is for them to access their local parks.
The survey is part of the city's 10-Minute Walk to Parks initiative. The National Recreation and Park Association selected Rochester as one of 12 cities in 2018 for a "10-Minute Walk" grant. The grant offers support to increase access to high-quality parks within a 10-minute walk for residents.
Take the survey for adults here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/rocparks and the survey for kids here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MBJTLBB .
Take action: two things you can do to help kids this weekend
- Share your health story in English or Spanish to improve our region's health and health care access. The survey closes Sept. 3.
- Tell Rochester's City Council to put kids first in the city's Comprehensive Plan. The updated plan is set to be drafted this fall.
Tanishia Johnson of ROC the Future told Rochester parent liaison and home school assistants why it is important to engage fathers.
Training focused on home-school communication
Healthi Kids organized a training Aug. 7 for the Rochester City School District's parent liaisons and home school assistants. These district employees bridge communication among families, teachers and administrators by ensuring the voice of parents and families is included in all aspects of the school. Presenters were Greater Rochester Health Foundation, ROC the Future, SPCC, the University of Rochester, and Common Ground Health. They shared information on whole child health, implicit bias and how to engage fathers and teen parents effectively. The goal of the day was to learn how to create a welcoming school environment for all parents and family members. Parent liaisons and home school assistants also learned about community resources to support student and family needs. To learn more, contact Erick Stephens, Healthi Kids' parent engagement coordinator, at 585-224-3112 or Erick.stephens@commongroundhealth.org
Drink water, new campaign suggests
Did you know that a 12-ounce can of soda typically contains more than nine teaspoons of sugar? A new media campaign from the state Department of Health is calling on people to choose water instead of sugary sodas and sports drinks. Sugary drinks, the campaign notes, can cause obesity, diabetes and cavities.
Healthi Kids was part of a statewide a sugar-sweetened beverage media campaign expert workgroup that helped inform the campaign. The statewide campaign includes paid ads and free social media posts from partners. Learn more.
Upcoming event:
Kids and Trucks - Climb aboard trucks and other large vehicles. This family event will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 29 and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 30 at Frontier Field's VIP parking lot. There will be a special horn-free hour from 10 a.m. to noon Sunday. Tickets are $5 per person or $20 per family before Sept. 29. Admission is free for ages 2 and under. Get tickets here, at the gate, or at all area Wegmans.
In the headlines:
City Newspaper - City adding 'play' to project list
City Newspaper - Creating safe neighborhoods
WROC TV - Treyer Street shuts down for block party
13 WHAM and FOX Rochester - Streets shut down to bring Rochester kids out to play
Rochester Business Journal - Pilot program gives kids safe place to play
Spectrum News - Neighborhoods make playing on the street safer for kids
Democrat and Chronicle - Survey wants to know what will it take for you to be healthier?
Find us on social media for more Healthi Kids updates as we advocate for healthier more active kids in Rochester and Monroe County. Tell us your vision for a Playable Rochester #PlayROCs
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