Active Living Logan Square: joining together to create opportunities for physical activity

Area of Science:

• Community Health
• Urban Planning
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Targeted an urban Chicago community (Logan Square) with a diverse population.
• Leveraged a long-standing neighborhood association (48 years) for community engagement.
• Focused on the southwest corner of Logan Square, a community of 84,466 residents, predominantly Latino.

Purpose of the Study:

• Enhance school environments to support physical activity.
• Encourage community-based outdoor activities for individuals and families.
• Create safe, accessible public spaces that promote physical activity and community connection.

Main Methods:

• Employed a participatory approach with diverse community stakeholders.
• Developed and implemented affordable, accessible, and culturally relevant physical activities.
• Focused on sustainable and replicable changes rather than a single campaign.

Main Results:

• Successfully piloted "Open Streets" (temporary street closures).
• Advocated for the "Bloomingdale Trail" (rails-to-trails project).
• Transformed school culture at McAuliffe Elementary to support healthy behaviors through policy, projects, and programs.

Conclusions:

• Success factors included a dedicated coordinator, relationship-building time, culturally relevant strategies, and flexibility.
• Prioritized tangible programs and projects for sustainable, replicable physical activity promotion.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of community-led initiatives in fostering healthy lifestyles.