It is one of a host of interventions funded by the Partnerships to Improve Community Health (PICH) grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The PICH grant has allowed DOH-Pinellas to add Fitness Zones, bottle-refilling stations and healthy eating initiatives to support physical activity and access to fresh foods. In partnership with Forward Pinellas, the county’s planning council and metropolitan planning organization, and Pinellas County Parks & Conservation Resources, it is now making it easier for residents and visitors to find nearby areas for active fun.

The wayfinding signs provide travel information and icons depicting a park’s amenities. They provide an estimated travel time for walkers and cyclists. The signs are situated on roads and trails to allow users to plan their walks or rides. Forward Pinellas placed the signs near county parks that serve minority and low-income areas to encourage physical activity in neighborhoods where residents may not have recreational areas that they can easily access.

The signs are already in use to near these county parks to guide walkers and riders: Taylor, Eagle Lake, Lealman, Ridgecrest, Joe’s Creek Greenway and Walsingham. For information about the Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County, go to www.PinellasHealth.com and follow us on Twitter @HealthyPinellas.

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.