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8—9 Orange County Comprehensive Parks and Recreation Master Plan CHAPTER 8 - Economic, Health and Environmental Impacts of Parks and Recreation 8 With the clear connections between public health and parks and recreation, it will be important that Orange County includes key public health considera- tions in design of parks and recreation programs, policies, or projects. A number of national and state documents provide guidance on these considera- tions, and outline recommended strategies and goals to increase active living in communities.26 27 Some of the considerations mentioned in these documents include: 1. Proximity of recreation facilities to homes, schools, or other frequented areas 2. Accessibility of recreation facilities to public transportation 3. Cost of recreational facility use 4. Safety, or perceived safety, of recreational facilities 5. Hours of operation of recreational facilities 6. Safe pedestrian/bike facilities connecting parks and recreation facilities Inter-Disciplinary Collaboration Similar conversations are occurring in parks and recreation, public health, and planning communities. In November 2012, an article on trends in parks and public health further noted the following28: Indeed, leaders from both the public health and park and recreation fields make compelling arguments that custodi- ans of our green spaces, trails and greenways, recreation facilities, community centers, and playgrounds hold the keys to our most widely accessible dispensary of national health solutions: Doctors really ought to prescribe parks and public recrea- tion programs to their patients most at risk for obesity - related illnesses.  Communities should seek to identify and address “recreation deserts” and connect residents with un- der-utilized recreational spaces through bike and walking trails.  Community-led studies of public health consequenc- es should inform and guide changes to the built envi- ronment—and parks should play key roles.  Organizations chartered to fight chronic diseases should partner with the caretakers of local walking trails and greenways.  And, we should all agree to keep parks tobacco-free. Future Opportunities for Parks and Public Health These considerations, and the preceding discussion emphasize that access to and use of parks and recreation facilities are an integral part of an active, healthy community. Communities that support active living through parks and recreation, accessible transportation, bike and pedestrian infrastructure improvements could prevent up to 1.7 pounds of weight gain per year, lower risk of obesity by 35%, and increase life expectancy by 4 years.29 However, the goal of such an active, healthy community and its benefits cannot be attained without collaboration from diverse community, government, and business partners. Only when these partners all recognize and strive towards active living as an integrated way of life, and not simply an individual choice to be made each day, will we achieve the health, economic, and other benefits we desire. 93