What have we accomplished and where do we go next was the theme of the January l6, 2014, Clarkston Active Living Initiative (CALI) Celebration and Strategic Directions meeting held at the Atlanta Area School for the Deaf in Clarkston.
Over 20 people who live and work in Clarkston attended the CALI meeting to celebrate the past accomplishments and to develop a plan of action for 2014.
The Clarkston Active Living Initiative is a community effort to address and support the city’s infrastructure, operations, and attitudes to encourage active lifestyles. CALI seeks to encourage actively lifestyle choices, such as walking and biking around town.
According to Dean Moore, City Council member and past president of CALI, “Members understand that in order to ask their neighbors to be active, we need to provide a safe city within which to move around.” CALI also encourages neighbors to do a little extra to take care of yourself by taking a moment during the day to be active, including walking, cycling, gardening, sports, or other activities.
During the meeting, participants defined “active living” in a number of ways, including “children being safe enough to be able to work to school, the library, the square”, “a safe environment,” “being able to live and work in an area where you can walk and play” and “physical wellness and the impact that has on your mental health and overall wellbeing.”
CALI’s accomplishments are many, including providing walkability and bikeability assessments to the City of Clarkston and to DeKalb County, helping to create the walking trail at Friendship Forest, participating in Keep DeKalb Beautiful activities, supporting a 5k walk with Atlanta Area School for the Deaf, conducting youth and pedestrian safety education campaigns, helping to start up the Clarkston Farmers Market, and more.
Moving forward, CALI is creating several working teams to continue and expand active living activities. The teams include: (l) Planning a 5-K Race in conjunction with the Clarkston Festival; (2) Working with the City of Clarkston on upcoming projects, such as the Streetscape; (3) reviewing the DeKalb Active Living Plan with recommendations to CALI; (4) Implementing a Youth Pedestrian Safety Project, with Jolly Elementary School; (5) creating a strong CALI organization to promote collaboration among organizations and the City of Clarkston and to promote active living policies and activities throughout the community.
CDF is pleased to have served as an active participant in CALI and as a facilitator of planning and other meetings.
Interested in serving on a work team or in receiving more information? Contact Myriam Dormer, MDP, Food Security Manager, Clarkston Community Center, myriam@clarkstoncommunitycenter.org.