Press Release - Cities Voted "Best Cities to Raise Outdoor Child"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2009
CONTACT:
Ellen Dumm, 303 866-6361 (office), 303 829-0194 (cell)
LT. GOV O'BRIEN CONGRATULATES FOUR COLORADO CITIES ON BEING NAMED TO BACKPACKER MAGAZINE'S "BEST CITIES TO RAISE AN OUTDOOR CHILD"
Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien congratulated four Colorado cities that made the top ten list of Backpacker Magazine's "Best Cities to Raise an Outdoor Child." The cities included: Boulder, Durango, Colorado Springs and Ft. Collins. Colorado is the only state with more than one city in the top ten and has the most listings in the top 25.
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"Backpacker Magazine and the Outdoor Foundation officially recognized what we already knew," said Lt. Gov. O'Brien. "Colorado has a culture of health and is fortunate enough to have spectacular natural resources at its doorstep. We need to ensure that our children are connected to nature so they are healthy, balanced, and ready to learn,"
Lt. Gov. O'Brien has been conducting Colorado Kids Outdoors forums since May to encourage more activity towards reconnecting kids to the outdoors and to explore what communities are already doing to get kids excited about engaging the outdoors. National figures indicate that children ages 8-18 spend an average of 6 hours a day connected to an electronic device. Outdoor activities by children have declined by half over the past 20 years, while obesity rates have doubled.
Backpacker Magazine and the Outdoor Foundation looked at several factors in creating the rankings, including: livability, landscape, pollution, health factors, adult activity, weather, and proximity to water, trails, mountains, and parks.
Lt. Gov. O'Brien concludes her Colorado Kids Outdoors tour this month with stops in Frisco on September 10 and in Golden on September 23. A report on the tour will be released later in the fall. She will also participate in a "Hike for Youth" event at Golden Gate State Park on Saturday, September 12. It will be presented by Mile High Youth Corps, city WILD and Colorado Mountain Club's Youth Education Program