Learn The Ways Healthy HotSpots Promote Active Living

The health benefits of being physically active add up. Active living can improve our overall health and well-being, reduce stress levels, maintain healthy bones and strong muscles, and lower our risk for chronic conditions like heart disease.

Despite knowing the benefits, being physically active can be hard. So, the places we live, work, learn, worship and play are taking action to make active living easier. The Forest Preserves of Cook County is working to create better access and visibility of the forest preserve and outdoor recreation opportunities. It offers more than 69,000 acres of natural open space with more than 300 miles of trails, golf courses, aquatic centers and water bodies for canoeing, fishing and kayaking. The preserves also have six nature centers and five new and revitalized campgrounds with free programming. Throughout Cook County, some communities are taking a Complete Streets approach to roadway design or following an Active Transportation Plan to make physical activity a part of our daily lives through easier access to transit, bike and pedestrian friendly roadways, safe parks, and connections to local places like grocery stores, shops, or restaurants. And, others like schools and work sites are providing more opportunities to be physically active, respectively, for their students and employees.