Walking, So Popular They’re Doing It Again
By Mike Jones – Special to SUNonline/Orillia
Following upon a popular and well-attended series of urban walks in September Sustainable Orillia is organizing a second round of urban walks for Saturday, October 29.
In September, local urban planner David Stinson led over fifty participants on several lively walks highlighting the good and the not-so-good examples of urban planning decision-making along our waterfront and the adjacent downtown areas.
This time, David will lead participants along Peter Street and into the North Ward for a first-hand look at planning decisions from Orillia’s earliest days until the present. It promises to be equally lively and informative.
There will be two walks on Saturday, October 29. Both follow the same route. The first at 10:00 a.m. and the second at 2:00 p.m. The walks are approximately one hour in length and will get underway and conclude at St. Paul’s Centre.
From the walk participants will gain awareness of the benefits of improving urban walkability and reducing car dependency. They will also explore the benefits of mixed development in providing an interesting, people-friendly environment that can mitigate the shortage of attainable housing and combat urban sprawl.
Urban planning affects every aspect of daily life, from where we live, where we shop, where we play, how we navigate our neighbourhood, to how we access our community services. It has a direct bearing on our quality of life, for better or for worse.
Put on your woollies, grab a friend, and join us for another stimulating walk through one of Orillia’s most intriguing neighbourhoods. Everyone is invited, however each walk is limited to twenty participants, so be sure to register. There is no cost to participate; donations to Sustainability Orillia are welcome but not necessary.
(Image Supplied)
