Put a spring in your hometown’s step by helping your community adopt these fitness ideas and strategies. We’re always on the lookout for great places to live, work and play. Check this space in every issue for a list that’ll inspire you to travel, dream, invest or make your own community better than ever.
1. Colorado Springs, CO (population: 376,427): This fitness mecca is home to the U.S. Olympic Training Center and uses a resident-approved sales tax to fund its TOPS (Trails, Open Space and Parks) program. The program buys undeveloped land to preserve for public use.
2. Portland, OR (population: 550,396): Six percent of Portlanders call their bicycles their primary commuting vehicle, according to bikeleague.org, so the city installed corrals that provide on-street parking for bikes.
3. Tucson, AZ (population: 525,529): Get out and play! That’s the mantra of city leaders who opened school playgrounds to kids during afterschool hours, weekends and summers. The move landed Tucson on the 2008 Playful City USA list by KaBOOM!, a nonprofit organization that promotes play as a critical piece of an active lifestyle. Visit kaboom.org for more information.
4. Arlington, VA (population: 204,568): This historical city serves as part of the course of the Marine Corps Marathon. With no qualifying time requirements, it inspires first-timers to run. Visit marinemarathon.com to learn more.
5. Sacramento , CA (population: 460,242): The “Take a Hike” program encourages city workers to lace up their sneakers at lunchtime to tackle one of 10 walks that start and end at the downtown capitol building. Head out on the 1.7-mile Victorian Homes Walk or the 2.2-mile Southside Park Walk. Search for walks in Sacramento at parks.ca.gov.
6. Albuquerque, NM (population: 518,271): The city’s mayor launched a Fit City Challenge that encourages residents to sign a commitment to eat more veggies, watch less TV and get moving. Entrants set goals and can track their progress. To learn more visit cabq.gov.
7. Atlanta, GA (population: 519,145): A higher-than-average number of swimming pools, tennis courts and golf courses puts this Southern metropolis near the top of the American College of Sports Medicine’s website for the American Fitness Index. Go to americanfitnessindex.org/report.htm.
8. Dallas, TX (population: 1,240,499): After working up an appetite with the kids at one of the city’s spraygrounds (playgrounds with water features), grab some healthy food at the 68-year-old Dallas Farmers Market, open seven days a week all year long.
9. Milwaukee, WI (population: 602,191): Eight neighborhoods in this Midwestern metropolis received a “walkers’ paradise” rating from Walk Score. Visit walkscore.com/rankings/Milwaukee.
10. Sioux Falls, SD (population: 151,505): Sports Illustrated magazine named this city the state’s “Sportstown.” Youth and adults stay active on football fields, ice rinks, a disc golf course and more. Not even the snow is an excuse: The bike trails are plowed all winter.
Selling Fitness: Put muscle in your home’s advertisement on the multiple listing service (MLS) by including mentions of nearby fitness amenities. Is your house within walking distance of a running or biking trail or a playground? Ask your sales professional to note it on the MLS so your listing attracts buyers interested in healthy living.
Recommended Reading:
-Worldwide Wanderlust: More Century 21 Homes from Around the Globe
-The 5 Best “Man Caves” for Watching Football
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