The Healthy Communities Awards recognize local jurisdictions that make a special effort to improve the health of their residents.
Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department recognizes 3 recipients that showed leadership in 2024 to improve community health outcomes:
- City of Tacoma Planning and Development Services.
- City of Tacoma Environmental Services.
- Town of Steilacoom.
We honored these recipients virtually Feb. 20 at the Pierce County Regional Council General Assembly.
“How our communities are designed and built affect our health,” Board of Health Chair Joe Bushnell said. “I want to extend my deepfelt appreciation to the recipients of these awards for their hard work. The decisions they made will protect the health and well-being of Pierce County’s residents. This work is critical in our holistic vision of Healthy People in Healthy Places.”
Each recipient’s plan addresses social, economic, and environmental factors that make people healthy.
When your community is healthy, your health outcomes improve. Healthy communities offer:
- Physical activity.
- Safety.
- Access to healthy food.
- Clean air, water, and soil.
- Strong community resilience and quality of life.
- Access to livelihood, education, services, and resources.
City of Tacoma Planning and Development Services
Neighborhood Plan Implementation, McKinley Overlook
Through a collaborative design process, the new and improved McKinley Overlook creates a usable public greenspace that is more inviting to residents because it:
- Promotes active transportation.
- Improves pedestrian safety.
- Limits vehicular speeding.
- Reduces littering.
It also helps reduce illegal activity in the area with increased lighting, public art, and interpretative signage.
City of Tacoma Environmental Services
“If It Hits the Ground, It Hits the Sound” street murals
In addition to educating residents about the fate of stormwater, the “If It Hits the Ground, It Hits the Sound” street murals create a sense of place and community pride in many of Tacoma’s historically underserved neighborhoods. Spanish, Khmer, Vietnamese, and Lushootseed translations ensure more of Tacoma’s residents benefit from the message.
Town of Steilacoom
Parks, Trails, and Active Transportation web map
Steilacoom’s Parks, Trails, and Active Transportation web map promotes physical activity. It encourages residents to explore the Town’s historical, natural, and recreational features, including 4.5 miles of trails, 12 miles of sidewalk, 4.5 miles of bike lanes, and 13 public parks. The map shows sidewalk locations, enabling people to plan safer routes between destinations and improving pedestrian safety.
You can learn more about healthy communities and community planning at tpchd.org/healthycommunities.
