Cities and towns planning to make a difference for health.
The Healthy Communities Awards recognize local jurisdictions that make a special effort to influence the health of their communities. We present the awards each year at the General Assembly of the Pierce County Regional Council.
2023 Healthy Communities awards.
The 2023 awards recognized comprehensive plans and other community design efforts that will improve the health of residents. Each recipient’s plan addresses social, economic, and environmental factors that make people healthy.
Puyallup Tribe of Indians — Comprehensive Land Use Plan
Its first ever Comprehensive Land Use Plan charts a healthier future for the Tribe’s people, economy, and natural environment.
City of Tacoma — Vision Zero Action Plan and Speed Reduction Ordinance
Tacoma’s Comprehensive Plan includes a Vision Zero strategy to increase safety, health, and equitable mobility for all.
Pierce County — Sprinker Recreation Center Outdoor Improvements
As part of the Master Plan for the Sprinker Recreation Center, these Outdoor Improvements create a space where Pierce County residents will:
- Experience a fun and safe place to spend time outdoors.
- Connect in their natural environment.
Read more about these projects in our press release.
2021 Healthy Communities awards.
The 2021 awards honored local jurisdictions and agencies that promote social, economic and environmental benefits for their communities by implementing either:
- Policies or actions they adopted from updates to their comprehensive plans.
- Projects to innovatively respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Comprehensive plan implementation award-winning projects
- City of Fife Emish Market.
- City of Lakewood Comprehensive Plan Energy and Climate Change Chapter.
- Pierce County Sustainability Plan.
- Pierce County Infrastructure Enhancement of Community Plans.
Innovative pandemic response award-winning projects
- Pierce Transit Essential Rides for Essential Workers.
- Port of Tacoma and the NW Seaport Alliance’s Seafarer’s Access to COVID-19 Vaccine.
- City of Puyallup Clarks Creek North Park Outdoor Fitness.
Learning opportunities for planners.
We offer scholarships for planners to attend the annual meetings of the American Public Health Association. This is a great way to learn about planning and public health. Requirements for the scholarships may change from year to year. The number of scholarships awarded may also change, depending on program budget.
Upon return, awardees present what they learned to:
- Their own jurisdictions.
- Board of Health.
- Growth Management Coordinating Committee.
- Pierce County Regional Council.
2021 scholarship awardees
- Elliott Barnett, City of Tacoma (APHA Meeting and FBCI course)
- Larry Harala, City of Tacoma (APHA Meeting and FBCI course)
- Carl de Simas, City of Gig Harbor (APHA Meeting and FBCI course)
- Barb Kincaid, City of Dupont (APHA Meeting and FBCI course)
- Tiffany Odell, Pierce County Parks and Recreation Department (APHA Meeting)
- Chris Beale, City of Puyallup (FBCI course)
- Taylor Jones, City of Fife (FBCI course)
Questions?
Contact Erin Dilworth at edilworth@tpchd.org or (253) 722-4287.