Media Contact: Adam Pope
Live HealthSmart Alabama, an initiative of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has completed community improvements in the East Lake neighborhood of Birmingham.
Through its community revitalization efforts, the Live HealthSmart Alabama team works to develop sustainable and comprehensive plans that can be implemented in cities throughout the state. These efforts align with the broader mission of Live HealthSmart Alabama to make good health simple by removing barriers to healthy choices.
“We are excited about this milestone event in East Lake, the last of our original demonstration communities in Birmingham, as we extend the successful LHSA model statewide,” said UAB President Ray L. Watts. “We look forward to joining our corporate and community partners to celebrate the tremendous progress we’ve made together in building a healthier, safer and more vibrant East Lake.”
With more than 3,300 residents living in East Lake, Live HealthSmart Alabama hopes to encourage a healthier lifestyle by providing safe spaces for them to get outside. Improvements made include:
- Installation of 25 new crosswalks
- 15 new ADA-compliant ramps
- A community garden
- 4,126 linear feet of new and repaired sidewalks
- Additional street light fixtures
- 30 trees planted along Second Avenue South
- Traffic-calming measures
- Cleanup of four vacant overgrown, blighted lots
- Upgrades to Downey Park’s basketball court and walking trail
Live HealthSmart Alabama commemorated the improvements at a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 22.
“Our team works diligently with partners and the community to implement improvements to policies, systems and the built environment,” said Live HealthSmart Alabama’s Chief Executive Officer Mona Fouad, M.D. “Ultimately, we hope these changes will make good health simple for the residents of East Lake. The ribbon-cutting is our opportunity to celebrate these achievements, while also thanking the community for welcoming us in, and our partners for helping make it happen.”
To learn more about Live HealthSmart Alabama’s efforts across the state, visit its official website.