Get Active, Spokane!

In 2007, The Lands Council, with funding from the Spokane Regional Health District, facilitated a year-long, dynamic, and collaborative environmental health assessment process. A multi-stakeholder team consisting of government agencies, business, industry, neighborhood groups, non-profits, academic institutions, health care providers, and local citizens met monthly and used the PACE-EH methodology to identify, research, rank, and prioritize top environmental health concerns in Spokane County. One of the issues receiving the highest number of votes was how the "built environment" (i.e. human-made buildings and infrastructure) affects people's health. Click here for the Spokane County Environmental Health Assessment Team EHAT 2007 Final Report.

The "built environment" consists of the following elements: land use and development (including urban forests), buildings and facilities (including water and wastewater treatment), transportation infrastructure (and associated impacts on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions), mobility (transit, bicycle, and pedestrian), "green" building, energy efficiency, re-use and recycling, and food access/production; and related impacts on human health and the natural environment. The image of our built environment is strongly related to sustainability. Sustainability grows from principles of conservation and stewardship. A sustainable built environment minimizes the use of resources and protects natural ecosystems. How we design our built environment has direct and indirect impacts on things like water quality and quantity, urban forests and parks, air pollution, climate change, and human health.

A 2-year EPA CARE (Community Action for a Renewed Environment) grant awarded to The Lands Council in October, 2007 allowed us to work towards building sustainable, collaborative, problem-solving community partnerships to enhance people's physical health by working to improve our community's built environment. Our efforts focused on promoting active transportation (e.g. walking and biking) in an effort to decrease automobile pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard air quality, build community, and enhance the overall quality of life in Spokane.

A grant from the Bullitt Foundation allows us to continue this important work. In conjunction with our partners (YMCA Spokane, Spokane Regional Health District, Spokane Regional Transportation Council, Futurewise, City of Spokane, Spokane County Commute Trip Reduction, Spokane Transit Authority, and Bicycle Advisory Board), we:

• Conducted a rapid health impact assessment (HIA) of the pedestrian strategy of the multi-modal transportation portion of the Fast Forward Spokane: Downtown Plan Update - click here to read a summary of our rapid HIA findings

• Worked with residents to conduct a walkability audit of the West Central neighborhood

• Conducted a second walkability audit of North Monroe St. - click here to view a report of our findings

• Are compiling a "do-it-yourself" guide on walkability audits geared for neighborhood residents

• Are working to initiate a Safe Routes to School program in Spokane

• Are working to initiate an event similar to the Ciclovia here in Spokane in the summer of 2010

• Are part of a Complete Streets coalition of local advocates that are developing a Complete Streets policy campaign.  Complete Streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users.  Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities must be able to safely move along and across a complete street.

Want to get involved or learn more? Contact Kat Hall at khall@landscouncil.org, 509-209-2403