GLOUCESTER – Public Health Director Max Schenk and Cape Ann Mass In Motion Grant Coordinator Jennifer Donnelly are asking those with disabilities and/or mobility limitations to provide input on which public recreational spaces in the region most need improved accessibility.
Input gathered via a grant-funded survey overseen by Cape Ann Mass in Motion will be used to identify recreational areas in its member communities — Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, and Manchester-by-the-Sea — that can be improved to provide better access.
Individuals with disabilities and/or mobility limitations that reside in the four Cape Ann communities, as well as their caregivers, are asked to take the survey.
The State Department of Public Health awarded Cape Ann Mass in Motion a $10,000 Community Health Inclusion Index (CHII) grant earlier this year to fund a survey of the priority population with mobility issues and physical challenges and identify recreation areas in need of improved access.
Once a location in each member community has been identified, grant funding will pay for using a CHII assessment tool to help identify improvements that will increase access for those with mobility challenges and disabilities. Once improvements have been identified, any remaining funding will be used to help communities make some of the recommended improvements.
To take the survey, visit, https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=DQSIkWdsW0yxEjajBLZtrQAAAAAAAAAAAAMAAEqzdh9UMEhZUzM5RFY2M0RSMzY2UE1QTlFOM1hCSS4u
Cape Ann Mass in Motion is a coalition representing the communities of Gloucester, Rockport, Essex, and Manchester-by-the-Sea, and is overseen by the Gloucester Health Department. The organization is part of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Municipal Wellness and Leadership Coalition, which seeks to prevent obesity and lower rates of chronic disease by increasing opportunities for healthy food access and active living.
Those involved in the coalition work to advance policy, systems, and environmental change as it relates to healthy food access and active living for all members of our community. For more information or to get involved in the coalition, visit https://gloucester-ma.gov/269/Cape-Ann-Mass-In-Motion, or contact Cape Ann Mass in Motion Grant Coordinator Jennifer Donnelly at jdonnelly@gloucester-ma.gov.
