Title
Discuss the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas - Blue Impact Grant in the amount of $60,000 with a City match of $145,000, as part of the 2025 Healthy Cities Campaign, to be used toward the construction of an outdoor fitness court for the public.
Body
REQUESTOR:
Police Department
BACKGROUND:
In 2023, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) launched the Blue Impact Grant Program to advance community health and wellness through five key focus areas:
1. Economic Opportunity and Stability
2. Nutrition
3. Neighborhood and Built Environment
4. Locally Defined Health Solutions
5. Optimal Health Outcomes
As part of this initiative, the National Fitness Campaign (NFC) leads a nationwide effort to make world-class fitness accessible and free in public spaces. For more than 40 years, NFC has partnered with communities across the United States to fund, design, build, and activate Fitness Courts(r), state-of-the-art outdoor gyms aimed at improving public health through accessible, high-quality wellness infrastructure.
DISCUSSION:
The National Fitness Campaign Grant Committee, in partnership with BCBSTX and its statewide partners, has awarded the City of Farmers Branch a $60,000 Blue Impact Grant to support the promotion, construction, and activation of a free-to-the-public Fitness Court(r).
The grant requires a City match of $145,000, which will fund the remaining project costs. The proposed site is on City-owned property at the Justice Center, strategically located adjacent to the walkway connecting to the Dallas College, Brookhaven Campus bike/running/walking trail. This location will maximize accessibility, visibility, and community use.
This partnership ensures the project's success in enhancing wellness infrastructure while promoting a safe and inviting environment for all residents.
If approved, the project will:
* Support the City Council's strategic priorities for quality of life, public health, and public safety.
* Enhance the City's wellness inf...
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