HomeMy WebLinkAbout#08 - SHIP GrantSTAFF REPORT
DATE: 03/06/2024
CONSENT
TO: CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM: SHIP Grant Acceptance
FROM: Adam Swanepoel, Assistant Public Works Director
REVIEWED BY: Marty Powers, Public Works Director
BACKGROUND:
The City of Lake Elmo has been awarded a $6000 grant opportunity through Healthy Living in
Washington County. These funds are made available through the Statewide Health Improvement
Partnership (SHIP) and focus on using Policy, Systems and Environmental changes to increase
opportunities for physical activity.
Staff applied for the grant in January and received notification of the award in early February.
Criteria for the grant focused on improving access to physical activity for residents and park
users. The SHIP program is also geared to help organizations create safe and accessible
opportunities for physical activity for all ages and abilities. The grant is intended to prioritize
funding for populations that experience health disparities for physical inactivity. This includes
older adults, women, people with mobility issues, people of color, and low income individuals
and families.
ISSUE BEFORE CITY COUNCIL:
Would City Council like to accept the funds from the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership
Grant in the amount of $6000?
PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS
SHIP funds are to assist community organizations with active living goals to promote biking and
recreational activity in the community for all ages and abilities by providing recreational
equipment, adaptive bikes, trail benches, bike racks and/or bicycle maintenance stations near
community parks and trails. The SHIP program is also geared to help organizations create safe
and accessible opportunities for physical activity for all ages and abilities.
Staff took the opportunity to apply for the grant to obtain additional funding for the purchase and
installation of two bike repair stations. The two locations that have been identified are; Reid Park
and Demontreville Wildlife Park. Both parks serve as a trail access point to local community
trails. The City has over 35 miles of community trails and 7 miles of off road biking trails. The
city currently has two nonprofit groups that help maintain it’s off road biking trails. These two
groups alone account for 300 members, students and coaches. These members utilize these trails
daily to help maintain and teach future riders.
Recent community survey results from 2023 show biking is the second highest means to visit a
city park within Lake Elmo. These results also showed over 30% would prefer to visit our parks
by means of bike. This came in as the second preferred method only behind walking/running.
With over 13,000 residents within Lake Elmo, this could account for over 3000 users of our
trails.
In 2023 two separate bike tours took place that put biking traffic directly through the City of
Lake Elmo. The Ragnar event as well as a Stillwater Bike Rally brought in over a thousand bike
riders into our community. Adding additional bike rack fix it stations will allow for the continued
growth of outdoor recreation within our community. Not only does biking provide health
benefits of muscle movement and increase heart rate, biking also has many social benefits to
include social integration, access to jobs, education and outdoor recreation clubs.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Staff is estimating the total project costs for the two repair stations will be $6000. With the grant
requiring a 10% financial match the City would provide statements for the cost of material and labor
for the install of the units. Any remaining financial obligations would be covered through the parks
maintenance budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
If removed from the consent agenda:
“Motion to accept the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership Grant in the amount of
$6000.