Orange County NC Website
8—8 <br />Orange County Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan <br /> CHAPTER 8 - Economic, Health and Environmental Impacts of Parks and Recreation 8 <br />Current Programming <br /> <br />In addition to the provision of facilities to allow <br />opportunities for active living, parks and recreation <br />departments play an integral role in programming <br />for exercise and recreation. Zumba and yoga classes <br />are among the most popular classes offered by <br />Orange County, and survey results indicate a desire <br />for more hiking and biking opportunities. Athletics <br />programs teach discipline and team-building in <br />addition to physical training. <br /> <br />The Orange County Health Department (OCHD), <br />through its Healthy Carolinians of Orange County <br />program, sponsors and promotes a number of other <br />programs that encourage citizens to participate in <br />physical activity and recreation, including Eat Smart <br />Move More and Preparing Lifelong Active Youth to <br />Move More. <br /> <br />Orange County Preparing Lifelong Active Youth <br />(PLAY) to Move More is a partnership between <br />HCOC, Orange County Schools (OCS), and UNC <br />Campus Recreation to increase youth physical <br />activity during aflerschool. UNC Sport Club athletes <br />visit OCS middle schools twice a month to teach <br />youth sports related skills, and provide opportuni- <br />ties for structured play. <br />The program encourages OCS to enhance physical <br />activity for students during after school programs. <br />Teachers strive to dedicate at least 30 minutes of <br />after-school time to activities that get students mov- <br />ing. Be Active NC trains teachers to engage students <br />in physical activity that promotes learning and well- <br />being of both students and teachers. Healthy Caro- <br />linians hopes to have PLAY adopted throughout the <br />school district. <br />The Eat Smart Move More (ESMM) campaign asks its <br />partner organizations to use various strategies to <br />promote a different key ESMM health message each <br />month to various audiences within their organiza- <br />tions. Individuals and families are encouraged to <br />think differently about what they eat and how much <br />they move. <br /> <br />Ensuring “Health in All Policies” <br /> <br />While designing parks and recreation facilities with <br />public health in mind has been accomplished on a <br />basic level in Orange County, it has not been fully <br />integrated into the design process for parks in a <br />formulaic or fundamental design tenet. There has <br />been a national movement towards “Health in all <br />policies.” Health in all policies means that health <br />consideration are clearly defined and addressed in <br />all policy making and programming across sectors, <br />and at all levels, to improve the health of all commu- <br />nities and people. Recently, a number of North Car- <br />olina state divisions have formally expanded their <br />missions to include public health considerations in <br />all programs, plans, and policies.26 <br />92